Bee Line Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), brought home 56 awards from the annual DAR State Conference, held this year at the Bridgeport Conference Center in Harrison County.
Conducted under the leadership of State Regent Jane Larke, the conference focused on her theme, “West Virginia Blooms Through Service and Friendship” and the conference theme, “West Virginia ‘Sparkles’ for the Red, White, and Blue.” The Northern District chapters of DAR hosted the event, with Malinda “Mindy” Davis and Charla Nutter McNaboe serving as conference chairs.
Four Bee Line members attended the conference, including Darla Treat Courtney, state historian and chapter librarian; Heidi Ware, chair of the state Service to Veterans Committee and chapter regent; Marilyn Bremilst, chapter delegate; and Lynn Stanley, chapter delegate and recipient of all three of DAR’s leadership training recognitions.
Bee Line’s work during the past year was recognized by 15 different state committees, with the common threads touching such issues as literacy and education, service to active-duty military personnel and veterans, community service in a variety of areas, American history, historic preservation, and conservation.
Highlights included two first-place honors from the Commemorative Events Committee for history-based programs—one for a presentation on the Revolutionary War contributions of the Bernardo de Galvez, the Spanish governor of colonial Louisiana, and another for a program honoring the heroism of the all-black 320th Barrage Battalion during World War II. They also included an award from the Constitution Week Committee for the most Constitution-related displays in public buildings.
In the area of literacy, the chapter received recognition for its participation in the State Regent’s Project promoting early-childhood literacy. The Literacy Promotion Committee presented a first-place award for Bee Line’s efforts in that area, and the DAR Library Outreach and DAR Schools Committees recognized its financial contributions to statewide efforts.
In addition, the Community Classroom Committee recognized Bee Line for its outstanding annual committee report and presented the chapter with a first-place award for most books donated to schools, libraries, and other groups. Specific awards included honors for reporting on education-related activities through the chapter’s newsletter and public media coverage; for supporting a home school tour of Happy Retreat, the historic home of Colonel Charles Washington; for providing educational materials to the children of military families at Fort Meade; for presenting programs related to family heritage; and for educational stations on American history at the annual Jefferson County Fair. The committee also recognized Bee Line as the local chapter that provided the largest financial donation to support educational activities and for having the largest impact on education for children.
Bee Line’s service to active-duty military personnel and veterans earned recognition from the DAR Project Patriot Committee for such activities as supporting the children of military families and sending holiday cards to deployed personnel. Awards from Service to Veterans included several recognitions—among them, service to women veterans, service as adult volunteers at veterans’ facilities, and working with youth to support veterans. Two first-place awards focused on promoting literacy among veterans and for chapter programs honoring veterans.
The Historic Preservation Committee recognized Bee Line for its outstanding accomplishments in historic preservation, and the State Historian recognized the chapter for submitting the best large-chapter report as well as for its support of Happy Retreat in Charles Town and General Adam Stephen House in Martinsburg.
The chapter received four first-place awards from the Public Relations and Media Committee: for chapter newsletter, chapter brochure, print coverage, and social media presence. Bee Line also received an award for its coverage of chapter activities at the Jefferson County Fair. The State Conference also recognized Bee Line with a first-place award among large chapters for its press book.
The DAR Magazine Committee recognized Bee Line with a first-place award for finding unique ways to use the national DAR magazine to support chapter activities.
Finally, the Conservation Committee honored Bee Line with an overall first-place award for conservation. Specific recognitions focused on the chapter’s work to create and maintain pollinator gardens, for its continued support of an herb garden at historic Happy Retreat, and for finding diverse ways to share “conservation minutes” with chapter members.
Individual awards received by chapter members included Outstanding Service recognitions from State Regent Jane Larke for Darla Treat Courtney and Heidi Ware for their 3-year terms as State Historian and State Service to Veterans Chair, respectively. Heidi Ware was recognized by State Registrar Patsy Adkins for her work supporting genealogical research. Sharon Criswell, Heather Duncan, Ann Ebersole, Marjorie Gaestel, Stacy Lindberg, Darla Treat Courtney, and Heidi Ware were all recognized for their conservation efforts.
For more information on Bee Line Chapter and its activities, please visit their website at https://www. beelinedar.com or inquire by email at BeeLineDAR@aol.com.