Established in 1896, the Lansing Chapter, NSDAR, is first and foremost, a service organization. Our motto of “God, Home, and Country” is a driving force for the Daughters. Promoting our mission of historic preservation, patriotism, and education, our members are actively involved with their local communities, veterans, schools, ecological efforts, and so much more!
The Lansing Chapter, NSDAR, has more than 140 Daughters from all over the Lansing area, and its associate members hail from California to Maryland, Wisconsin to Arizona. No matter where you live, the Lansing Chapter, NSDAR, invites you to explore your heritage and become a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. For more membership information, please visit our Join Us page.
The Lansing Chapter, NSDAR, is involved in a wide variety of service projects. Members seek out local businesses and individuals who display the goals of the DAR by promoting education, preserving history, and encouraging patriotism. Keep reading to discover the interesting and fun activities that make our community a better place.
Patriotism
Our chapter has distributed nearly 2,000 flags during parades, Constitution Week, and award ceremonies.
Part of patriotism is service to our veterans. We support the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans for enhanced experiences for them. These experiences may involve a trip to a West Michigan Whitecaps game or lunch at a restaurant. The Grand Rapids Home for Veterans also requested tools and supplies for residents to begin a gardening project. Last year we donated 40 wreaths for Wreaths Across America and participated in placing the wreaths at Fort Custer National Cemetery. We will volunteer at the Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly, Michigan. We also send Christmas cards with handwritten messages to veterans and active-duty soldiers.
The DAR of Michigan encourages chapters to support the new Fisher House in Ann Arbor. Families may stay there rather than in expensive hotels during their loved one’s treatment in Ann Arbor.
Lansing Chapter, NSDAR, quilting group makes and donates quilts to the Battle Creek Veterans Administration Medical Center. Chapter members donate fabric and funds to facilitate this project.
Historic Preservation
Our largest historic preservation project was finding and professionally framing our original chapter charter from 1896. We have donated our chapter’s period clothing to the Mary Marshall Chapter, NSDAR, in Marshall, Michigan, for their historic property, displays of historic objects, and ephemera.
We participate in cleaning and transcribing headstones. We have also transcribed and uploaded information to Billion Graves and Find a Grave to preserve for future generations.
We are working with the Library of Michigan to transcribe WWI bonus cards to make the information available to the public. This genealogical information is important because most of the nationally-held WWI veteran files were lost in a fire years ago. Michigan happens to have an additional source and the Library of Michigan wants to get it transcribed for public use. In previous years, the Lansing Chapter, NSDAR, has transcribed census, county records, and other information for the public benefit. Technology has aided greatly in this project.
We honored Robert Vondale on September 22, 2022, with the DAR Distinguished Citizen Award for his service as an Army Ranger during WWII. He and the ten other surviving Rangers will be honored and awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 2023 at the White House by the President of the United States.
We gave our first responders special treats each October as part of the National DAR Day of Service. “We Love Our First Responders,” and this is our chapter’s way of thanking them for their dedication to the public.
Education
Lansing Chapter, NSDAR, presents the Outstanding Teacher of American History award to a local high school history teacher annually.
We support five DAR schools across the country and help fulfill their special requests, such as, fabric for a particular project.
Constitution Week
Bells are rung at Beaumont Tower on the Michigan State University (MSU) campus and by chapter members to ring in Constitution Week on September 17. Lansing Chapter, NSDAR, celebrated by visiting 12 schools and delivering 1,787 Constitution kits. We presented 14 in-school programs to 828 students and one community program to 25 residents at Provision Living Memory Care.
DAR Good Citizens
Every year, DAR chapters seek outstanding high school seniors to recognize them for their patriotism, leadership, service, and dependability. We invite local high school seniors to participate in our DAR Good Citizens essay contest. For more information, visit the NSDAR Youth Programs website.
In addition, the National Society has numerous scholarships available for higher education in various areas of study. For more information, visit the NSDAR website.