Excerpts from the 2013 Spring Leadership Conference/Trustees meeting that may interest Pacific District members:

•  The DAR donated approximately 900 duplicate books from their library to the SAR Library.

 

• New member applications are backlogged six weeks; supplementals are backlogged ten weeks. The goal is to have no more than a four-week backlog toward which the Staff is diligently working.

 

• State Societies that cumulatively donate $1000 to the SAR Foundation during any year, July 1 – June 30, are recognized with a streamer for their state flag.

 

• The State Challenge Campaign recognizes State Societies when 20% of their members donate $250 each to the SAR Foundation. The member’s name is engraved on a plaque in the new headquarters building.

 

• The new SAR Chaplains Manual is posted on the SAR web site.

 

• The Molly Pitcher Award for women support the SAR Color Guard is approved. Criteria for this Award will be outlined in the SAR Color Guardsman Manual.

 

• The Robert B. Vance Award for “Best Website” is available to State Societies and Chapters; details are available in the Forms and Publications of National’s website.

 

• The new retail store at 809 W. Main Street, Louisville, Kentucky, scheduled to open in 2014, is expecting to generate 50% of our non-member revenue.

 

• The National Ladies Auxiliary contributed $93,181 to the Center for Advancing America’s Heritage to date.

 

• Under development is Operation REACH (Reaching Every American Compatriot at Home), a new partnership between the SAR and Ancestry.com to help increase SAR membership.  Ancestry.com has offered to solicit their subscribers for interest in joining the SAR.

 

• The Newsletters and Periodicals Committee is recruiting new members. This is the Committee who reviews State and Chapter newsletters and awards cash prizes to them.

 

• If your Chapter plans to participate in Wreaths Across America in 2013 you must re-register each year.  420,000 veterans were honored by sponsored wreaths in 2012. Wreaths Across America will next be celebrated Saturday, December 14, 2013.

 

• Military Service Records are compiled at Headquarters by Compatriot Mike Scroggins. When Chapters install a new member, include a reporting form in his new-member packet; encourage him to fill it out and sent it in. This form is found on the SAR web site under Forms.

 

• A new Veterans Recognition Committee (VRC) has been created. Visit the VRC web page to learn more.

 

• IRS Form 990-N. If a State or Chapter misses filing this form three years in a row, they lose their Tax Exempt Status.

 

Bob Doughty

VPG Pacific District