News
Wreaths Across America quick reminder and 2023 cutoff date:
Our chapter has ordered 378 of our 500 goal for 2023! Only 122 to go! Remember the Santa Margarita Chapter earns $5 for every wreath orders. When you place your order be sure to use our link at Wreaths Across America November 28th is the cutoff for purchasing wreaths for this year's Wreath laying event. Any wreaths ordered after that date will contribute to our 2024 purchases.
Please help us honor and remember as many fallen heroes as possible by sponsoring remembrance wreaths, volunteering on Wreaths Day, or inviting your family and friends to attend with you.
Honoring San Diego's Vietnam Veterans:
District XIV Daughters participated in the honoring of Vietnam Veterans aboard the USS Midway in San Diego.
USO Camp Pendleton Jamboree:
Camp Pendleton United Service Organizations (USO) Jamboree is the largest Camp Pendleton USO event of the year. It takes a lot of volunteers to put this all together. There was music and comedic entertainment, BBQ, ice cream, lots of games and prizes, pony rides and a petting zoo. Camp Pendleton families went home with their bellies full and their arms full of prizes. Everything was provided by donations and the USO. Zero cost to our Active-Duty service members and their families.
Santa Margarita Chapter volunteers assisted with registration, setting up, running, and breakdown of the activity boots, and more. It was a hot summer day and we were tired at the end of our shift. But we had a great time and left with smiles on our faces.
National S'mores Day:
USO Camp Pendleton and Santa Margarita Chapter Daughters celebrated National S’mores Day in the USO Camp Pendleton center, providing 113 families with s’mores kits! Yummy messy s’mores for all! Santa Margarita Chapter Daughters provided 60 of our S’mores kits!
DAR Penny Pines Memorial Cleanup:
Santa Margarita Chapter Husband of DAR (HODAR), William Collier, with Ross Schwalm and John Patterson, all compatriots of the Col. William Grayson Chapter of the SAR, conducted mid-summer (Aug 2023) cleanup at the DAR Penny Pines Memorial site along US 29 near Gainesville, Virginia in the Conway Robinson State Forest. The land is a part of the larger Conway-Robinson Memorial State Forest, located south of the Manassas Battleground. This portion of the Forest has been designated as a long-term growth pine forest for educating college level forestry students. There is a bronze marker with a slate path and patio surrounding the marker. The marker was dedicated by District of Columbia DAR in 1939.
SMC Daughters Support Honor Flight with Cards:
This summer (2023), Daughters of the Santa Margarita Chapter took home cards with instructions to write them specifically for Honor Flight veterans and then to return the cards at our September meeting. Ready to mail are 100 cards for the upcoming San Diego Fall Honor Flight.
USO Camp Pendleton Scavenger Hunt at Carlsbad Village:
As DAR Project Patriot/USO Camp Pendleton Volunteers, we are making a difference for active-duty soldiers and their families. Members of Santa Margarita and Linares Chapters supported the "Out and About Carlsbad Village" event this past weekend. Stations were spread out to multiple locations in Carlsbad Village. Volunteers were stationed at the designated locations to sign the participants map and hand out a sample or help with a craft. Samples included pizza from Pizza Port, chips and salsa from Senor Grubby's, chocolate bars from the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, and ice cream from Handles. There were also three selfie spots at the murals in town. The weather was great and the families all seemed to have a great time going around the village to gather signatures.
Santa Margarita Chapter, planted a succulent garden to honor the gravesite of SSgt Reckless:
After serving in the Korean War, Reckless’ final duty station was Camp Pendleton where she stayed until her death in 1968. Reckless was buried with full military honors. — at Stepp Stables.
JROTC DAR Awards:
Santa Margarita Chapter supports the three local JROTC units, Army Navy Academy, Oceanside High School and El Camino High School. JROTC Medals with bar to wear on uniform, a certificate, and a monetary award are presented each year to a cadet chosen by their respective school.
Army Navy Academy, Oceanside High School Cadet.
El Camino High School Cadet.
USO Camp Pendleton Military Spouse Appreciation:
DAR Project Patriot is making a difference with USO Camp Pendleton. — at Carlsbad Premium Outlets.
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 DAR Daughters manned the scavenger hunt areas. |
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 Carlsbad Outlet provided prizes for completing the scavenger hunt. And for $125 spent at the mall, a $25 gift card was offered. You just had to show your receipts. |
 A DJ kept the party lively. |
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 As the evening was ending another SMC Daughter stopped by to say hello. |
 A tired but happy crew! |
Celebrating Military Families:
Oceanside celebrated military families on May 20 at the Oceanside Pier amphitheater. Santa Margarita supported through America 250 by passing out cookies from San Luis Bakery.
USO Camp Pendleton Assembly:
Santa Margarita’s daughters were privileged to volunteer at Camp Pendleton, with the United Service Organizations (USO), for the assembling of 350 Sendoff snack bags and 443 Welcome Home bags. Look at the photo that was taken after we had filled all the bags. These are the marines who came to take the bags to their destination. Much of what we packed had been donated by DAR chapters and members from the Amazon Wish lists. Look at the two shelving units, on the right, behind us. Those are all items donated by DAR, minus what we used to pack the bags. In addition, there are boxes of food items that are stored in a separate location, away from the mice.
Photos Courtesy of Chapter Members
National Society Daughters of the American Revolution
California State Society Daughters of the American Revolution