New Hopewell Chapter DAR Officially Established in Mason/West Chester Area

A dedicated group of ladies in the West Chester/Mason area has been working since January to form a new chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. On July 20 that dream was realized with the official Organizational Meeting and Celebration Tea for the Hopewell Chapter NSDAR. Forty-five attendees met at the Mason Historical Society at Alverta Green Museum with Ohio State DAR officials and special guests including Ohio DAR State Regent Kathy Gobin Dixon, DAR National Vice President General Nancy Schirm Wright and other OSDAR Officers. Organizing members, prospective members, members of the Cincinnati SAR Nolan Carson Memorial Color Guard and the SAR State President Lee Wilkerson from the Cincinnati Chapter of the Ohio Society of the Sons of the American Revolution also joined in celebrating the official organization of the this new chapter.

The Daughters of the American Revolution is a women’s service based non-profit organization with the mission to promote patriotism, historic preservation and education. Membership is based on proof of a direct ancestor who participated or contributed to the cause of freedom during the Revolutionary War. Hopewell Chapter members are a diverse group of ladies and while the majority list mailing addresses in the Mason and West Chester area, other member mailing addresses include Spring Valley, West Chester, Montgomery, Maineville, Milford, Fairfield, Blanchester, Pleasant Plain, Liberty Township, Miamisburg, Cincinnati, Indian Hill and Middletown.

The organizational meeting began with the Presentation of Colors by the SAR Nolan Carson Memorial Color Guard. All members and guests were welcomed by Organizing Regent Jan Mauch and Cincinnati SAR President Lee Wilkerson presented a welcoming proclamation to the new chapter. Ohio State Regent Kathy Dixon and National Vice President General Nancy Schirm Wright installed the following officers: Jan Mauch as Regent, Lois Rieger as Vice Regent, Donna Vanover as Recording Secretary, Melinda Yonchak as Treasurer, Diane Autore as Registrar and Sharon Niehoff as Chaplain. New members were initiated, and transferred and reinstated members were welcomed to the new chapter. Members who join Hopewell Chapter within the first year of the organizational meeting will be known as Charter members.

The name Hopewell was officially noted as the name of the new chapter by the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. Hopewell refers to a culture that developed during the middle woodland period with Ohio as the epicenter. A defining characteristic of this early culture was skill in mobilizing and combining efforts of groups of people to create impressive, still standing ceremonial earth works. The Hopewell Chapter NSDAR, in the Hopewell tradition, will strive to develop skills in mobilizing and combining of efforts to promote the work of the DAR within the community for lasting results.

Newly elected State Regent Kathy Dixon was honored. Special appreciation was extended to National Vice President General Nancy Wright for identifying this area to be targeted for a new chapter, and to then State Organizing Secretary Elaine Ortman and then SW District Director Chris Nehring for partnering with the Organizing Regent Jan Mauch to create the chapter. Special recognition was extended to Pat Young and Tee Woodall, Volunteer Genealogists who contributed time and expertise to help prospective members research and prove ancestry in order to become DAR members.

Following the meeting, attendees enjoyed a celebration tea thanks to the contributions of ladies from the newly organized chapter under the leadership of Vice Regent Lois Reiger.

Members of the new chapter are excited to begin the process of service to the community and to our nation. To that end, the following committees are being organized and will immediately begin collecting project and service ideas: Community Classroom, Literacy Promotion, Service to America, Service to Veterans, Community Service, Constitution Week, National Defense, Conservation, American Indians, DAR Schools and Women’s Issues. Hopewell Chapter will expand or alter the committee list as membership grows and information is gathered from the community and our nation regarding needs and interests. Many ladies began collecting information and ideas before the official organization date in a desire to help Hopewell Chapter become a productive part of our community from the date of official recognition by NSDAR. The first official kick off meeting of the new Hopewell Chapter will occur in September. Women who wish more information about DAR or are interested in becoming DAR members and a part of this new Hopewell Chapter are invited to contact Hopewell Chapter NSDAR Regent Jan Mauch at jan@hopewelldar.org.