As State Registrar, I will be involved in “all things Membership.” DAR is the largest women’s volunteer organization in this country and we are still growing. Thank you for helping to make that happen!
A major change for this term will be our exclusive use of e-Membership (our online National membership database) as the sole source for California membership records. What does this mean for your chapter? Each registrar must keep e-Membership current and complete, including home phone number and email address. This is required. If a member wishes to list her cell phone, NSDAR requires the registrar to enter “(cell)” in the extension field. A good time to verify chapter data is when you collect your annual dues. Chapter registrars are the FACE of DAR to prospective members, however, membership is every Daughter’s job. Increasing the use of membership teams in our chapters will help our very busy registrars.
How can you help? Be an enthusiastic recruiter. You may love genealogy and can help prepare applications. Not every prospective member is a genealogist, nor does she need to be. Our Volunteer Genealogist classes are now offered online—study in your PJ’s to become a Volunteer Genie. Perhaps you want to be a detective on the hunt for that elusive clue? Be the one to solve a tough problem on a prospective member’s application – be a Lineage Researcher! And all of us should wear a welcoming smile, to show a prospective or new member that we’re glad to see her.
The State Society requires that each district have a chairman in place to handle membership. If the district wishes, it may elect a District Registrar. The membership chairman/District Registrar’s main duty will be to disseminate prospective member information to the appropriate chapter in the district. She will be working with the State Membership Chairman.
The Chapter Development and Revitalization Commission (CDRC) was created by President General Merry Ann Wright, both nationally and for each state society, to support chapters in gaining new members, and developing and educating current members. Our ultimate goal is to achieve involved, enthused members and community recognition. Your California Commission is just waiting for your phone call or email. Commission members are Chairman Beverly Moncrieff; Vice-Chairmen: State Organizing Secretary Cindy Allen, State Lineage Research Chairman Barbara McMahon, State Membership Chairman Joan Bogaty, and State Volunteer Genealogist Corky Peterson.
Remember, all our hard work in recruiting and completing applications may be in vain if we don’t keep our members interested and active. Let’s get those new members involved, start them with a small job and watch them bloom
Beverly Moncrieff
State Registrar
registrar@californiadar.org