Montpelier Project Update
& Request

Dear Virginia Daughters:

When I spoke to you at State Conference, I told you about our wonderful windfall gift from Dominion Resources which made it possible for us to expand our project beyond restoring the grave sites of President James Madison and his wife Dolley Madison. I left you with "A Call for the Wall" mission to replace the wall surrounding the cemetery. A company called General Shale has donated the bricks for the wall. We had already paid Montpelier the money to construct the wall. So, now the wall is taken care of!!

All that is left to completely restore the Madison Family Cemetery is the cleaning and restoration of the remaining headstones. There are 24 other stones in the cemetery.

If we can finance half the cost of restoring the entire cemetery project, we will be given the credit for RESTORING THE MADISON FAMILY CEMETERY. We need $17,000 to finish the restoration and be recognized as restoring the Madison Family Cemetery. That would make our total donation $100,000.

We have raised $83,000 so far. Of that amount $40,000 was DAR, and $43,000 was given to DAR from Dominion Resources, for the project.

I am asking you to do what DAR does best - support historic preservation. This is a tremendous opportunity for the Virginia Daughters of the American Revolution to restore the family cemetery of the 4th President of the United States and "Father of the Constitution" - James Madison. It is so timely with the 250th anniversary of the birth of James Madison on March 16, 2001.

When preparing your chapter budget, I hope you will consider the need for our State Project. Also, I am appealing to individuals to make donations, which would be tax deductible. A group or individuals could choose to "save a stone" which averages out to about $710.

Again, I have not pledge nor promised this additional $17,000 to Montpelier. However, we will do our best to be eligible for the honor of "Restoring the Madison Family Cemetery."

Your consideration at the pledging period at the District Meeting in September will be appreciated. Your pledge is all that we need. You can include the money pledged with your chapter obligations due December 1, 2000.

The dedication of the State Project at Montpelier will be on Saturday, October 28, 2024 at 1:30 p.m. A tour of the house and light refreshments will follow. The admission fee to Montpelier will be waived for the day. Several Districts are bringing buses! Each chapter will be receiving a formal invitation, and all members are invited to attend.

Your interest and support of this special millenium project is gratefully appreciated.

Sincerely,

Susan Gonchar
State Regent

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