Helping State Committees & Chapters SPARKLING ONLINE!
Websites & Social Media Approvals
Chapters are encouraged to have a strong online presence to tell their stories of service in communities and show why women would enjoy becoming members of the DAR. If your chapter receives local media coverage, interested prospective members are likely to turn to internet search engines to find you. Don’t let out of date websites and languishing social media accounts end up at the top of the results. Or, worse, don’t let your chapter completely miss out by not being at the top of any results.
If your chapter is ready to start building a website, revitalizing a website, or launching exciting social media homes, this state committee is your first stop in the national approval process. If you have questions about the process, please feel free to email me.
Ensure you follow all NSDAR Online Guidelines, in addition to referencing the VIS Style Guide and specialty guidelines such as for YouTube. If you have a website or social media home ready to begin the approval process, please use the relevant online submission form found below.
State Committees with public social media pages should also submit for state and national review, as it is required for all public accounts, groups, and pages.
National Guides: NSDAR Online Guidelines, VIS Style Guide, and VIS Approval Checklist, YouTube Checklist
Begin the Approval Process: Chapter Website Approval Request or Chapter Social Media Approval Request; State Committee Social Media Approval Request
Chapters that wish to update approved websites should limit changes only to those considered as “housekeeping” updates. This language from the national committee is a guide to what types of updates they include: “Changes of email addresses, names or photos of officers, and calendar updates should be reported to the state VIS chair, but do not require the site to go through the national approval process. All other changes must go through the national approval process.” If your chapter would like to refresh content not directly addressed in the list, please reach out to this committee to inquire about allowed changes. If changes go beyond housekeeping updates, they may be made on an un-linked page and submitted for review to be approved to replace a currently approved page on your website.
Please be sure to check the updated NSDAR Online Guide and the VIS approval checklist as of October 2022.
Photos
The Photo/Video Release Form is no longer required for adults whose photos may be taken and used on websites or social media. However, they are required for any child who may appear in a photo. Do not post any photos of minors without this completed form.
If your chapter has members who prefer that their images are not used on certain formats, please respect their wishes or take additional photos for those sites that do not include them. Perhaps most importantly, as a courtesy to minimize potential spammers from getting each links to the personal profiles of your members, please do not tag members personally on public social media pages. If a member chooses to tag herself, that’s fine. Please respect the privacy of your members when it comes to public social media homes.
Earn the VIS pin!
Members who do any kind of computer work for their chapter outside of her normal assigned duties can earn VIS hours toward a volunteer service pin and/or bars. (ex. A chapter yearbook committee chairman whose primary task is to create a yearbook cannot claim hours toward a VIS pin. However, a VIS chairman or other chapter member who is asked to do so may claim the time spent.) Qualifying computer-related task might be helping with a digital newsletter, laying out designs for printed name tags, assisting officers or committee chairs with forms or flyers, or creating content for and maintaining social media sites.
All of these tasks are measured in hours, and 100 hours adds up to one service. Additionally, building a new or complete revision of a chapter website counts as a single service. Learn more on the national VIS Committee website.
After completing the VIS Log Form with chapter or state-level service, members may send it to this committee chair for verification before forwarding it to the national committee.
Chapter Regents – Honor Your Valuable VIS Volunteers
Does your chapter have a member who goes above and beyond in her service to DAR behind the keyboard? Is she the kind of woman who helps you make sure your lineage workshop flyers look amazing, keeps your social media sites updated with great finds from around the internet and photos from chapter activities, or offers to help create Powerpoint slides for presentations? Whatever form her extraordinary chapter efforts take, consider nominating her as Pennsylvania’s VIS Volunteer of the Year.
PSSDAR VIS Volunteer of the Year Nomination Form
PSSDAR VIS Volunteers of the Year
2022 – Edy Sarnoff, Gettysburg Chapter
2021 – Christie Caywood, Bucks County Chapter
2020 – True A. Lewis, Harrisburg Chapter
2019 – Jennifer Bachand McKeon, Robert Morris-Quaker City Chapter
2018 – Rebecca Myers, Franklin County Chapter
2017 – Gail Matus, Bethel Fife and Drum Chapter
2015 – Maria Reedy, Cumberland County Chapter
Find Ideas & More on Facebook
There are two Facebook groups for VIS-related conversations & queries. If you are a Chapter Regent, Chapter VIS Committee Chair, or Chapter VIS Committee Member, you may want to consider joining one or both depending on the needs and online interests of your chapter.
NEW! Official VIS Group: DAR VIS Committee
General VIS Topics: VIS Enthusiasts!
Social Media Focus: DAR Social Media Forum
The National VIS Committee is now offering social media education videos. This may be helpful for you and/or your members.
Committee Handouts
Resources and Tips for Pennsylvania Chapters
Zoom Tips & Tricks Video
Committee Members