Toni Bolling Lutter

At the annual meeting in March, Gila Butte Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) held its elections for the 2018-2020 Executive Board and elected Marjorie Nelson Chapter Regent. Regent Lesley Baran, who served from 2016-2018, is a nominee for the Arizona State DAR Executive Board.

Nelson served as chair of the Literacy Promotion Committee and as vice regent of the chapter. Prior to her move to Arizona, Baran served as a chapter regent in Georgia. In Gila Butte, she served as Conservation Committee Chair and as Chapter Vice Regent.

Gila Butte chapter was organized in 2002, when Organizing Regent Mary Wolf pulled together 22 women to form the new Sun Lakes chapter. Currently, the chapter is more than five times its original size, with members around the Valley and the nation. Four Gila Butte members have served on the Arizona State Board, including Gillian Morse of Sun Lakes who served as State Regent 2014-2016.

DAR is a national women’s volunteer service organization with more than 3,000 chapters worldwide. The current membership is 185,000. Any woman 18 years or older who can prove lineal, bloodline descent from an ancestor who aided in achieving American independence is eligible to join the DAR. She must provide documentation for each statement of birth, marriage and death, as well as of the Revolutionary War service of her Patriot ancestor. Genealogy assistance is available.

Gila Butte Chapter meets in Sun Lakes and welcomes inquiries about membership. Gila Butte members are committed to preservation of history, to education which ensures our nation’s future and to patriotic endeavor. For membership information, please call 480-802-6993 or access the chapter website, gilabutte.arizonadar.org.