Four members of Craig Valley Chapter NSDAR recently attended the 126th Virginia State Conference in Richmond. The event was the last meeting of the current administration and the first in-person conference since 2019. Nearly 600 people registered for the conference, which included 307 voting members and 275 guests and pages.
Craig Valley Chapter received several awards for their activities and service of the past year. State Chairman of Service to America Diane Givens presented her last report for this administration citing 234,686 volunteer hours tallied by Virginia Daughters and 2100 hours by Craig Valley Daughters.
Attendees at the conference learned about The Lafayette Trail, Inc., an effort to document the tour of the United States by General Lafayette in 1824 and 1825. A marker was erected in early March on the Portsmouth, Va. waterfront to emphasis Lafayette’s belief in a strong naval presence for America. A video series called “Follow the Frenchman” can be viewed at www.thelafayettetrail.org. and includes an episode filmed at James Madison’s Montpelier, north of Charlottesville.
For the first time in its 15-year history, a member of Craig Valley Chapter was able to serve as a page at the State Conference. Pages are required to be between 18 and 35 years old, wear white, and perform organizational duties such as ushering, flag-bearing and assisting DAR leaders. Nicole Allen joined NSDAR in 2019 by proving her lineage to Drury Puckett, a soldier from Russell County, Va. who fought at the Battle of Point Pleasant.
Nicole is a graduate of Glenvar High School and VCU. She currently works in Richmond and has attended other district and state DAR meetings. She served as page to the Virginia State Regent at the Grave Marking Ceremony of Adam Lugar at Williams Cemetery in Sept. 2021.
National Society Daughters of the American Revolution is one of the most inclusive genealogical societies in the country. It boasts 190,000 members in 3,000 chapters across the United States and internationally. Any woman 18 years or older who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution is eligible for membership. For information visit www.dar.org.
Craig Valley Chapter currently has 30 members, four associate members and several pending. Please contact Tina Crawford, 540-864-6216 or Margaret Hines 540-864-8447 for assistance to identify your Patriot.
- Submitted by Craig Valley DAR