Monday, May 1, 2023

From the President...

My dear Dames,

In mid-April, I had the great privilege of participating in a hardhat tour at our National Headquarters Dumbarton House. The tour gave me a firsthand look at the final stages of the construction project that is adding resources for our National Society including an education center as well as a reimagined Belle Vue Room with advanced technology capabilities. We are building our resources and capabilities to support our Corporate Societies through a strong National Headquarters operation.

At the end of the tour, we buried a time capsule that included mementos from more than 30 Corporate Societies. The time

capsule will be excavated in 2076 on the 300th anniversary of our country. It is hard to imagine 2076, so I hope our items will be meaningful and illuminating to the Dames at that time and will share a glimpse of what life was like in 2023.

At this same event, along with Honorary National President Anna Duff, I had the honor of cutting the ribbon for the beautiful newly restored Best Chamber in our museum. What an incredible day!

Thank you to our amazing staff for overseeing the construction project at our National Headquarters Dumbarton House during the

renovations, particularly Executive Director Carol Cadou, Facilities Manager Rolando Montana and Visiting Curator Gretchen Goodell Pendleton.

Finally, I am so pleased to announce that Gail Faherty (CT) has agreed to serve as National Assistant Registrar, a newly appointed position. Gail will serve through October 2024 to support our wonderful National Registrar, Lynn Goldsmith. She will assist with processing the new members that we are gaining through our National Membership Drive as well as with our 250 by 250 Founding Females Initiative to add female ancestors to our Register of Ancestors. This is exciting work these ladies are doing to support our membership.

As always, I am grateful for all that each of you do as Dames. We are stronger together when we are united in our commitment to sharing early American history through all aspects of our mission – preservation, history education and patriotic service.

With appreciation for each of you,

What's New on Q!

Spring is here and your National Headquarters is thrilled to share new developments.

NSCDA National Conference

Preparations are underway for the 2023 in-person NSCDA National Conference. ALL members are invited to attend a weekend of fun, fellowship and education in St. Louis, MO from October 20-22. Members of the Missouri Society are busy arranging educational opportunities with experts in history and preservation. Reserve your hotel room HERE.

Conference registration and program information will be forthcoming. Please check the NSCDA website for updated details on the Gateway to History’s Future.

NSCDA Website Update

Members of the National Headquarters staff and the NSCDA Executive Committee are working on a comprehensive overhaul of NSCDA.org. To accomplish this task, the NSCDA is working with Firefli, a Virginia-based developer, that previously designed the websites for National Headquarters Dumbarton House and Great American Treasures. This project will be completed by the end of 2023 and will bring greater usability, additional member features and striking new design to the NSCDA’s online presence.

National Headquarters Dumbarton House Renovations

May brings warm weather and great progress to Dumbarton House. Contractors have begun putting up new walls in the Belle Vue Room. The exterior of the house is getting a facelift as well, including the installation of new ADA-accessible pathways. To commemorate the work, the Ladies of Dumbarton submitted objects representing their state societies for a time capsule to be placed in the wall of the Belle Vue Room and opened in 50 years.

After nearly a year of restoration, the Best Chamber at Dumbarton House was reopened during the April Dumbarton House Board meeting. The Ladies of Dumbarton took part in a hardhat tour of the Master Site Plan renovations followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the Best Chamber. As part of the 2022 celebration of the Dumbarton House 90th Anniversary, many generous supporters provided funds for this project and were also present for the ribbon-cutting.

The restoration of the Best Chamber was completed by National Headquarters staff. They were assisted by Visiting Curator Gretchen Pendleton who is an expert in Federal Period homes. The c. 1780 mahogany bedstead was given to Dumbarton House by Stenton (PA) and once belonged to a relative of the Nourse family who were the first inhabitants of Dumbarton House. Historic textile expert Natalie Larson made new bed and window hangings for the room as well as a slipcover for the New York easy chair. Adelphi Paper Hangings produced the Bixby Vine & Drapery wallpaper that is reminiscent of a Federal-period pattern.

National Headquarters Dumbarton House will reopen at the end of May and all Dames are encouraged to visit the newly reimagined space.

Tucker Broadbooks

Marketing & Communications Manager

TuckerBroadbooks@DumbartonHouse.org

Membership Minute

Cluster Gatherings

Have you ever atttended a Cluster Gathering? Do you know what a Cluster Gathering is?

A Cluster Gathering happens when Dames from different states vacation near each other and plan a gathering. These gatherings can be at a favorite resort or at a member's vacation property in the same area. Examples of past gatherings include a luncheon in Leland, MI and a coffee at Lake Okoboji, IA.

A Cluster Gathering takes place each July in Montreat, NC where many Dames live year-round and others vacation there. The gathering is a morning coffee in the home of one of the Dames. Here are a few pointers from this group:

· Put together a planning committee of two or three Dames.

· Network with other Dames to assemble a list of Dames who are in the area.

· Designate one or two Dames to telephone or email invitations to the coffee.

· The hostess provides flowers, name tags and drinks and other Dames bring refreshments.

The ladies have such a good time visiting that a program isn't necessary. However, the gathering is a great opportunity for a member to provide an update about the activities of the National Society as well as Dumbarton House. There are many ways to organize a Cluster Gathering. Above all, keep it simple. It is vacation time!

Anyone with questions about hosting a Cluster Gathering, please contact Susan Walker at sgww1@bellsouth.net. As a central contact, she can also help to connect Dames in different areas.

Photo: A Cluster Gathering of Dames in Montreat, NC in the summer of 2022. Dames are from North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia and Tennessee.

250 by 250 Founding Females Initiative Update

The 250 by 250 Founding Females Initiative was announced at Biennial last October. The goal is to have 250 qualifying female ancestors on the NSCDA Register of Ancestors by July 4, 2026 to show NSCDA support for the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Since October, 2022, 18 women have been added to the ROA, and as of April 15 there are now 63 qualifying female ancestors. This is over one-quarter of the way to the goal of 250!

Members can follow the monthly progress in the Genealogy Resources section of the NSCDA website by clicking on Founding Females: 250 by 250. Additional information can also be found on this page for those who wish to submit a name and service information to be considered.

Please contact either Molly Carey at mollyjordancarey@gmail.com or Lisa Liles at LLiles5939@gmail.com with your questions.

Exclusive NSCDA Member Journeys

"Some day, you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.” C.S. Lewis

You are invited to join one of three bespoke and curated journeys that will not be repeated for years. These journeys are so magical that you may feel as though you are in a fairy tale.

The journeys are The Splendors of Ireland, including Northern Ireland, August 30-September 9, 2023, Sublime Scotland: Edinburgh, the Lowlands and Highlands, August 31-September 10, 2023, and Luxurious Andalucia, September 18-27, 2023.

Hallmarks of each journey are the private visits, outstanding guides and historians, curated tours and phenomenal cuisine. Members and guests will relax and renew in luxurious accommodations that include palaces, chic hotels and country estates. These private journeys feel like friends traveling together and having a shared experience. A few places are still available on each journey that can accommodate a maximum of 24 travelers.

Each of these journeys indulges all of the senses!

The Splendors of Ireland , including Northern Ireland, is a land that has been home to Gaelic kings, ancient Irish clans, seafaring vikings and Christian saints. This wild and majestic landscape inspired C.S. Lewis and W.E. Yeats. Together we will visit beautiful private estates, the finest castles, stately homes and gardens, and travel “one of the greatest drives on earth," the Causeway Coastal Route. We will venture off the beaten track to remote areas where traffic jams usually involve a herd of sheep. Join us as we bask in this spirited region's genuine warmth and charm with legendary guides, the comfort of luxury hotels and incredibly curated farm-to-table menus.

Sublime Scotland, from Edinburgh through the Highlands and Lowlands, will explore the rich Jacobite history of Scotland, including Culloden Moor, Cawdor Castle, Ardgowan House, Broomhall House and Culzean Castle in the south. We invite you to be emotionally and spiritually overtaken by a vast, imposing landscape and surrender to Scotland's beauty, history and rich folklore.

Luxurious Andalucía appeals to the mind, body and soul with the culture and legacy of centuries of Moorish rule in Al-Andalus which still flourishes today through art, music and food.

View Exclusive Member Journeys Here

Dumbarton House

NSCDA National Headquarters and Museum

Sulgrave Manor

Ancestral home of

George Washington

Gunston Hall

Home of Founding Father George Mason

The e-Dispatch is a monthly email, sent on the first Monday of each month, keeping you up to date with the latest news and information. Submissions for the e-Dispatch may come from any National Committee or Corporate Society. For expediency, we ask that the Committee Chairman or Corporate Society President approve each submission. An individual NSCDA member may also submit, but should have the same approval from the appropriate Chair or President. Please send all submissions to Lee Scott at eleescott@gmail.com. Email address changes should be directed to the National Office at dames@nscda.org.

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