The Roanoke Valley Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) takes on many service projects each year. Sometimes the projects are local, such as making blankets for the Veterans Care Center in Salem, donating dogwood trees to the Vinton War Memorial, or serving breakfast to veterans in observance of Veterans Day.
They recognize outstanding William Byrd High School students with scholarships, the DAR Good Citizenship Award, and the Air Force JROTC Medal Award.
Their project for September was folding 300 American flags into pocket flags to be given to deployed or deploying troops to be placed in the inside pockets of their uniforms.
Their objective is “to get as many pocket flags as we can into the pockets of our military personnel on the front lines. We want them to know that we care and that we keep them in our hearts and our prayers.”
Each small flag is packaged with a card that says, “A flag for your pocket so you can always carry a little piece of home. We are praying for you and we are proud of you. Thank you for defending our country and our freedom.” The flags fit into a small 3”x3” plastic pouch.
This is not just a local project, but also one that spans all 50 states and around the world.
According to the Pocket Flag Project website, the idea began in 2001 when a den of Webelos Cub Scouts folded and packaged 100 flags to be given to deploying troops. They were inspired by Boy Scout leaders who were veterans of Vietnam and the Gulf War who related that they carried small folded flags in their shirt pockets and how important those flags were to them. The project has grown into an international project. As of 2013, fabric or pre-cut flags had been distributed to make over two million flags.
The flags are only presented to deployed or deploying troops, not as decorations for patriotic dinners, or for fundraisers, or for veterans and active military who are not on the front lines, or for first responders– those uses are not approved. They are not for sale to anyone for any purpose. Pocket Flag Project is a non-profit organization.
The pocket flags have many destinations, chosen by the local DAR chapter. Those folded in Vinton on September 9 will be distributed to troops who have a connection to members of the chapter and will most likely end up in Afghanistan, Iraq, Germany, Qatar, and Turkey.
Upcoming projects for the local chapter in the coming year include distributing posters to Vinton area schools and the Vinton Library for Constitution Week, making and delivering fleece lap blankets and Valentine cards to the Virginia Veterans Care Center, and preparing and serving breakfast at W.E. Cundiff Elementary on Veterans Day in November to 100 veterans, followed by a music program organized by DAR member and music director Ellen Hannan.
Local DAR members as a group will attend the annual Roanoke Veterans Day Parade in Roanoke. They will collect socks and T-shirts for the Veterans Center. They will travel to the historic Smithfield Plantation in Blacksburg, and they will collect pancake mix and syrup for the Rescue Mission.
The Roanoke Valley Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution recently celebrated the 55th anniversary of the founding of the chapter in Vinton in 1961.
Any woman 18 years or older, regardless of race, religion or ethnic background, who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution is eligible for membership in the DAR.
They meet at St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church in Vinton on the second Saturday of most months.
For information about the local Roanoke Valley Chapter, call Sharon Menzies at 890-6571.
