Submitted by ADeFrancesco on

Celebrate America! "Can we do it?" "Time will tell!"

LeAnn Turbyfill, National Chair, Celebrate America! Committee

Two and one half years ago, the Celebrate America! Committee was organized to encourage all DAR members to honor their heritage as we celebrated our 125th Anniversary.  We were encouraged to perform hours of service in communities far and wide.  The original goal was set at 3,000,000 hours of service within the three year Young Administration.

Well!  We quickly rose to the challenge!  Within six weeks of the launch of the Online Tally, more than 1,000,000 hours were logged.  By the close of the reporting period for the first year of the administration, we had exceeded that goal with 4,760,314 hours listed.  The Executive Officers then revised the goal.  They challenged us to meet a 10 million hour goal within the three year period.  I was asked “Can we do it?”  I could only respond:  “Time would tell!”

At the close of the second year of the administration, we had logged another 4,623,300 hours of service.  During the time of the 124th Continental Congress, on the Celebrate America! Night in fact, we met that revised 10 million hour goal!  (No, this was not scripted!  It actually happened that way as the Online Tally ticker kept rising that week – all thanks to members all over the world!)

So what did our forward thinking DAR leaders do??  They revised the goal one more time!  Looking ahead to the actual 125th Anniversary, they challenged us to meet a 12.5 million hour goal by the close of the administration.  Again, I was asked, “Can we do it?”  Again the answer was:  “Time will tell!!”

With just two weeks left to report our activities and hours by the February 1 deadline, I encourage members everywhere to take a few moments to log on to the Online Tally and record any remaining 2015 service hours by February 1.  I have no doubt that the revised goal will be met!

The Online Tally will continue to operate for members to log 2016 service hours.  Photos and stories about that service can continue to be forwarded to [email protected].  On June 1, I will take the number of hours logged and add it to the hours logged in the last three calendar years.  The question then becomes:  “How far can we go?”

The answer, which may surprise us, is completely in our hands!  And in our hearts!  I look forward to sharing images of service performed as well as a final number of hours served with you at the 125th Continental Congress.

Thank you for truly Celebrating America in all that you do!