By CLARKE STACKHOUSE/ Staff Writer

The Daughters of the American Revolution’s three-fold focus is on patriotism, education and preservation. The Shelby County charter, David Lindsey, has been recognized for exemplifying the DAR pillars and has served the county since 1927.

David Lindsey Regent Phoebe Robinson said the charter is the only DAR chapter in Shelby County and currently has more than 50 charter members.

“We may be small, but we get a lot done,” Robinson said.

She said the chapter focuses on veterans and students for many of their events. The chapter recently won second place for Best Multi-Events for their work with Vietnam veterans at the National DAR 125th Continental Congress.

Robinson said the Vietnam events were a nationwide DAR effort to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the war and honor local veterans who served in it.

“It was an opportunity to give them the homecoming that they couldn’t have back then,” Robinson said.

Each veteran was honored with certificates of appreciation from the David Lindsay chapter, Vietnam commemoration lapel pins and presidential proclamations from President Obama.

Robinson was also awarded at the national convention with Outstanding Member for Alabama from the USA Commemoration, Department of Defense for her individual work with veterans.

She said the chapter goes around to schools all over the county to teach them about different periods in American history such as the revolution, the American flag and the civil war.

As a part of their students initiative the chapter recognizes students in Shelby County with the DAR Good Citizenship and DAR Youth Citizen Awards. The chapter also recognizes all students in the county entering the military directly from high school.

Robinson said the DAR is open to all women over the age of 18 who can prove their direct lineage to a supporter of the American Revolution.

“Technology has come a long way in helping find more members,” Robison said. “Last year they started accepting DNA and testing it to see the applicants lineage and ancestral history.”

E.H. Willis founded the David Lindsey charter in Montevallo in 1927 with 16 charter members. The charter’s name comes from a Virginia patriot who Robison said was one of the first settlers in the Shelby County area after the Revolutionary War.

The chapter will have a meeting for any prospective members in September at the Columbiana library.

“We have members from Harpersville to Brierfield and everywhere in between,” Robinson said.