Community Guidelines

Fort Chiswell Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution
Chapter 2043 VA | District IV | Bristol, Virginia

Last Updated: April 6, 2026

Welcome

Welcome to the Fort Chiswell Chapter community. For over 100 years, our members have been united by a shared commitment to honor patriot ancestors, preserve history, promote education, and advance patriotism. These guidelines help us maintain the spirit of service and friendship that has defined our chapter since 1924.

By participating in our community — whether online, in person, or through any chapter communication — you agree to follow these guidelines.

Our Foundation

The Fort Chiswell Chapter operates under the motto “God, Home and Country” and the principles of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. These guidelines align with the NSDAR Community Protocol & Etiquette, Terms and Conditions, and Privacy Guidelines (effective September 9, 2025) and the standards set forth in the DAR Handbook.

Community Standards

Respect and Kindness

  • Treat all community members with courtesy, dignity, and respect.
  • Focus on the content of messages, not the individuals making them.
  • Extend the benefit of the doubt, especially to newer members — there is no such thing as a stupid question.
  • Just as we follow DAR protocol in our attire and behavior at in-person events, we follow the same standards in our online and digital interactions.

Constructive Engagement

  • Use our community to share successes, challenges, constructive feedback, questions, and goals.
  • The purpose of our community is strengthening our DAR ties of service and friendship.
  • In some cases, it may be advisable to direct questions to the Chapter Regent, a committee chair, or the State Regent, as appropriate.

Personal Boundaries

  • Respect other members’ personal preferences regarding which contact requests they choose to accept and which information they choose to share.
  • Members have varying levels of comfort — please refrain from sending repeated contact requests to those who have declined.
  • Do not share other members’ personal information without their explicit permission.

Prohibited Content

To maintain a welcoming environment that furthers the DAR mission, the following content is strictly prohibited in all chapter communications, website submissions, and community interactions:

Commercial Activity

  • Sales of merchandise, business advertising, and resale of items (e.g., pins)
  • Coordination of group orders
  • Any activity that encourages or facilitates financial transactions between members
  • Linking to products for sale on external websites
  • Only official NSDAR products may be promoted

Fundraising

  • Personal, chapter, or state fundraising campaigns
  • Links to fundraising campaigns within posts, flyers, presentations, or attachments

Political Content

  • Political endorsements of candidates or ballot propositions
  • Promotion of attendance at political rallies
  • Solicitation of participation in letter-writing or petition-signing campaigns
  • Any activity performed in the name of DAR that might be construed as political

As stated in the NSDAR Handbook: “The NSDAR is nonpolitical. It maintains no lobby at national, state, or local government levels; contributes to no political party nor to candidates in any way; initiates no legislation; and does not have a legislative chair. The DAR is interested in preserving and maintaining our constitutional republic and urges its members, as good American citizens, to be informed and to exercise their right to vote.”

DAR Governance

  • Campaigning for a candidate for a national or state DAR office
  • Discussion of or politicking for or against proposed National Society bylaws amendments
  • Questions about business up for consideration by voting delegates should be directed to the State Regent or asked during official forums

Harmful Content

  • Defamatory, abusive, profane, threatening, offensive, or illegal content and materials
  • Harassment, cyberbullying, and doxxing
  • Offensive, insulting, or debasing language
  • Deliberate intimidation or threats of violence

Sensitive Information

  • Do not share sensitive personal information, including National Numbers, in public communications
  • Do not share proprietary information from any DAR system
  • Content submissions should be treated as non-confidential — do not post anything you would not want the world to see

Intellectual Property

  • Post only content that you have personally created or have permission to use, with proper attribution to the content creator.
  • When posting items in a collaborative environment, indicate if the item is not available for use.
  • Contact the owner of any material before reusing it.
  • If you believe your copyright has been violated by materials on our website, contact community@nsdar.org.

Member Data Protection

In compliance with NSDAR Standing Rules A1 and A2 and the Circularization Policy (2025 update):

  • All membership data is entrusted to members exclusively for official DAR use.
  • "Official use" means use that has been expressly approved, endorsed, or authorized by the National Society.
  • Member data — including information in eMembership, directories, and yearbooks — may not be downloaded, republished, distributed, shared, sold, or duplicated, in whole or in part, for any personal, commercial, political, or promotional purpose.
  • No member may use community resources to issue circulars about the National Society, state organization, or the organization of chapters without the approval of the National Board of Management.

For a full explanation, please review the DAR Handbook at dar.org.

Academic Research and Surveys

Do not solicit community members for participation in academic research or non-DAR-approved surveys without the express written consent of the President General.

Current Site Interaction

At present, our website (www.fortchiswelldar.org) serves as an informational resource. Community interaction occurs primarily through:

  • Contact forms for inquiries and membership questions
  • Email communication with chapter officers and committees
  • In-person meetings and events

We do not currently maintain public forums, comment sections, or a member portal on our website. Should interactive features be added in the future, the full NSDAR moderation standards — including the three-strike warning system — will be implemented as described in the NSDAR Community Protocol.

Reporting Concerns

If you encounter content or behavior that violates these guidelines:

  • For chapter-specific concerns: Contact the Chapter Regent through our website contact form.
  • For broader NSDAR community concerns: Email community@nsdar.org.

All reports are handled confidentially and reviewed by chapter officers.

Response Times

Our chapter is led entirely by dedicated volunteers who balance DAR service with work, family, and other commitments. Please allow 48–72 hours for responses to general inquiries. We appreciate your patience and understanding. Please recognize that the person reviewing your inquiry is a volunteer.

Enforcement

Should content or behavior violate these guidelines, the chapter may take action including but not limited to:

  • Private communication from chapter leadership addressing the concern
  • Removal of content from the website or chapter communications
  • Restriction of participation in chapter activities

For severe violations — including defamatory, abusive, profane, threatening, offensive, or illegal content — immediate action may be taken.

The Fort Chiswell Chapter follows the NSDAR Administrative Authority and Account Suspension Policy for any matters that rise to the level of national community guidelines enforcement. This includes referral to the appropriate National Chair and community@nsdar.org as outlined in the NSDAR three-strike warning system.

Our Commitment

The Fort Chiswell Chapter has served the Bristol, Virginia/Tennessee area for over a century because of members who embody our values of service, friendship, and dedication. These guidelines exist not to restrict, but to protect the welcoming environment that makes our community strong.

Questions

If you have questions about these guidelines or need clarification, please contact the Chapter Regent through our website contact form or email community@nsdar.org.

Fort Chiswell Chapter, NSDAR
Chapter 2043 VA | District IV
Serving the Bristol, Virginia/Tennessee area since 1924
God, Home and Country

These guidelines align with the NSDAR Community Protocol & Etiquette, Terms and Conditions, and Privacy Guidelines (effective September 9, 2025). They may be updated periodically to reflect organizational policy changes.

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