A focal point of the group is its genealogy research. The DAR headquarters is home to one of the largest genealogy libraries in the country. It includes a vast collection of probate records, town deeds, wills, marriage licenses, newspaper clips, and other documents used to help prospective members trace their lineage. I n rarer cases, members find out that their ancestors were related. Membership can range from attending small local monthly meetings to involvement with the national group, which owns and finances a boarding school and day school in remote mountain areas of Alabama and South Carolina.
Chapters often participate in goodwill efforts at home.
We go to schools, we help veterans . . . As an added show of pride, members often wear an assortment of pins and insignia to society functions to show their involvement. There's tons of service. But low turnout can be a problem, members say. In addition, the average DAR member is in her late 50s or early 60s, and most women don't join until their late 40s, Koepplinger said.