Daughters of the American Revolution hosts America’s 250th birthday party

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) welcomed the public to their headquarters Saturday to celebrate 250 years of America and share their mission to preserve the nation’s history.

The nonprofit women’s service organization hosted a birthday party featuring arts and crafts, face painting and cake.

“This is the Nation’s celebration. This is not just in Washington D.C.; it’s for every American to celebrate,” said Lynn Forney Young, a former DAR President General and of the of the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission.

The DAR is a service organization dedicated to preservation, education and patriotism.

“We have almost 3,000 chapters worldwide with 190,000 good women members,” said DAR President General Ginnie Sebastian Storage.

She said the organization chose April 18 for the celebration to mark 251 years since Paul Revere started his midnight ride to warn of the British march

Members are connected through their ancestry to patriots who helped the cause during the Revolutionary War. The organization’s library helps experts trace genealogy to uncover family stories, some of which are displayed in the DAR museum.

“We want everyone to understand the importance of this momentous occasion,” Sebastian Storage said.

The event kicks off a season of celebration for the country’s 250th birthday.

“The more that we learn about our past and our nation’s history, the more that we can appreciate their efforts to try and be a more perfect union, and the more we learn it’s our responsibility now,” Young said.