- April 4, 2025
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Members dressed in attire from across decades to celebrate the anniversary, including Mary Beth McLeod and Shawna Smith (1920s) Mary Lou McFate (circa 1920s) Diane Kingery Gentsch, Angela DeForest and Cynthia Flynn (1920s), Ronelle Ashby (1930s), Peggy Torgerson (1940s), State Registrar Jennifer Lawton Marks (1950s) and Clarissa Thomasson (1990s).
Photo by Ian SwabyThe cake was cut by the youngest member, Liberty Paige, 22, and the oldest member, Mary Lou Barnett Klemm, 91.
Photo by Ian SwabySunny Westerberg and her mother Deborah Thomas pose next to the club's charter from 1926. Westerberg created a slideshow-style film about the history of the chapter, which was shown to members at the event.
Photo by Ian SwabyState Regent Cindy Addison addresses the chapter.
Photo by Ian SwabyRegent Patricia Rook awards gifts to pages Erin Alton, Brooke Voyzey and Liberty Paige, club members who help with the operations.
Photo by Ian SwabyHonorary Regent and Parliamentarian Rebecca Morgan (second from right) brought her family including her daughter Christy Gillis, husband Dennis Morgan, Daughter Monica Sims, son David Morgan and daughter-in-law Nan Morgan.
Photo by Ian SwabyChaplain Diane Kingery Gentsch, Florida State Regent Cindy Addison and chapter Regent Patricia Rook gather together.
Photo by Ian SwabyThe chapter celebrated its 100th anniversary at Marina Jack.
Photo by Ian SwabyPeggy Torgerson and State Registrar Jennifer Lawton Marks worked with Vada Love, who joined the Sarasota chapter in August, to prove her geneology. Love noted it is difficult for African Americans to trace their ancestry to the Revolutionary War, and the process took five years. Her patriot is Achilles Morman of Kentucky, who aided the cause by giving supplies.
Photo by Ian SwabyTeresa Taft and her sister Elizabeth Taft
Photo by Ian SwabyThe Sons of the American Revolution march forward, led by Jeff Robbins.
Photo by Ian SwabyClub member and Sarasota County judge Maryann Olson Uzabel sings "America the Beautiful."
Photo by Ian SwabyNan Morgan chats while gathering dinner.
Photo by Ian SwabyMary Lou McFate, Cynthia Flynn, Peggy Torgerson, Diane Kingery Gentsch, Clarissa Thomasson, Regent Patricia Rook and Rebecca Morgan
Photo by Ian SwabyDaughters of the American Revolution is a service organization open only to women descended from someone involved in aiding the American Revolution.
Yet its Sara De Soto chapter is itself a part of Sarasota's local history.
Regent Patricia Rook said the organization, which has a focus that includes patriotism, education and history preservation, has been serving the local community since 1925, including through awards and scholarships.
On March 28, at Marina Jack, the chapter held a celebration of its centennial anniversary, which was attended by State Regent Cindy Addison.
"Do you know how hard it is to keep a chapter going for 100 years? It is no easy feat," said Addison. "It requires generations of dedicated women who are willing to share their gifts as a chapter officer, a chapter chairman, or simply someone willing to give their time every day of every year of every decade until we get to today."
Addison said the chapter first met on March 25, 1925, the 1,669th chapter to organize in the United States and the 12th in Florida. She also said one of its most illustrious members was Princess Julia Grant Cantacuzène, the second granddaughter of President Ulysses S. Grant.
Rook said the chapter is the only one in Florida to have a dedicated house. This is located next to the historic Whitaker Cemetery, which members help to maintain.
"Not all chapters last that long, and I just think if we had the founding ladies that started Sara De Soto, what they would think of all this, I'm sure they would be very proud," Rook said.
