Project Patriot is a committee of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) that supports active-duty military personnel and their families, both at home and abroad.

The Gila Butte Chapter’s Project Patriot Committee recently undertook a two-fold initiative. The first is a joint venture with Jewish War Veterans in which chapter members were asked to donate manufacturers’ coupons valid for at least the next six months. The Jewish War Veterans will then send these coupons to troops overseas.

The second part of the project is the Bones From Home program. Military members who work with a canine partner are responsible for 90% of the cost of caring for their animal. Bones From Home collects military-approved donations of dog food, treats, toys, grooming items, and training products to help offset the cost to the handlers. All donated items must be made in the USA.

There are currently over 2,700 military working dogs. All dogs and handlers are trained at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, for missions, including tracking, search and rescue, explosive detection, patrol, and attack. The first K-9 Corps was recognized in 1942, although dogs have been working alongside military members in America since the Civil War.

Bones From Home was established in 2015 as part of the Packages From Home project based in Glendale, Ariz., that gives citizens the opportunity to support every branch of their military in 167 countries all over the world with care packages of various kinds. They have also supplied care packages and mental health support to returning war veterans since 2012.

Anyone interested in joining DAR should contact Pennie at [email protected]. The chapter can provide assistance with lineage research to prospective members if needed.

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution is a nonprofit, charitable organization, founded in 1890 and incorporated by an act of the United States Congress in 1896. Membership in the society is open to 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. The DAR functions as a volunteer service organization and is dedicated to patriotism, education, and historic preservation. While DAR supports a strong national defense, it is not a political organization, nor does it lobby. Its membership includes women from Republican, Democratic, and Independent political parties; women from all races and ethnic backgrounds; and women from ages 18 to 100+. The society does not subscribe to any particular religion, nor does it discriminate against any members who are of various religious beliefs.