Literacy campaign: Sandy Basin DAR purchases books for Dickenson County youths

submitted by

Margaret Childress

Sandy Basin DAR Regent

Dickenson county chapter of the Daughter’s of the American Revolution (DAR), called the Sandy Basin DAR, have initiated a Literacy Campaign. The purpose of this campaign is to help foster a love of reading and education in Dickenson County youths. As part of this campaign, the DAR purchased and through the county school board, are distributing new books to all Dickenson County students from Pre-school through the sixth grade.

If your child falls in the range from Pre-school to sixth grade and they do not receive a book upon returning to school, or your child is home schooled, please contact their school to obtain their book.

The Sandy Basin DAR was awarded a grant for this literacy program by the Virginia DAR. Sandy Basin then partnered with Scholastic, through their Literacy Partnership (LP) Program, to procure over 1100 books for Dickenson County school kids. Many of these books have a historic theme.

The Sandy Basin DAR have launched this literacy campaign as a community service to help fulfill their mission of promoting historical preservation, education and patriotism in the local area.

The Sandy Basin DAR would like to extend special thanks to the Virginia DAR grant committee, the Dickenson County School Board office, the Scholastic LP Program and to it’s chapter members. A special acknowledgment goes to the Sandy Basin Book Purchasing Committee consisting of Geri Hill, Judy Osborne, Sally Sutherland Foulkrod and Margaret Childress.

In order to better serve our community, the Sandy Basin DAR is welcoming new members. The motto of the DAR is “God, home and country.” As DAR members, women are empowered to support our community, promote patriotism and share their interests in genealogy and history, both national and local. Each year, members decorate a Christmas tree at the Clintwood library, host book giveaways, fundraisers and perform various volunteer acts.

To qualify for membership, you must be a woman of at least 18 years of age and be descended from a patriot or a person who aided the American Revolutionary War. If you are unsure of your ancestry and are interested, then guidance and assistance will be provided with the application process. Contact the Sandy Basin DAR Regent, Margaret Childress, with any questions or to apply. Margaret can be reached via email at chilsandy2020@yahoo.com.