During the 2026 DCDAR state regent’s gala on March 28, 2026, held at the Sheraton Pentagon City in Arlington, Virginia, DCSAR Compatriot Rev. John Stonesifer was awarded The Hannah White Arnett Silver Medal of Distinction by the DCDAR State Regent Yvonne Liser. The medal is awarded to a member of the Sons of the American Revolution for unselfish devotion, tireless efforts, and assistance to the DAR; and who has dedicated his time, energy, talents, and/or resources to the organization in support and furtherance of the DAR mission of historic preservation, education and patriotism. It is one of the highest recognitions DAR can bestow upon a SAR compatriot.
During the gala, DCSAR past president of and current NSSAR trustee William O. Ritchie Jr., gave greetings on behalf of DCSAR and congratulated Regent Liser for her successfully two-year tenure as the DCDAR State Regent. Regent Liser is the first African American DCDAR and the 2nd Regent of any state in the history of DAR that was founded in 1890. During a brief period in 2024, Regent Liser and Past President Ritchie, as DCSAR President, served at the helm of the two most powerful patriotic legacy organizations in Washington DC. Both are proud graduates of Howard University. Regent Liser’s state regent project during her tenure was raising funds for the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center at Howard. Ritchie concluded his greetings by giving her a personal check in support of her project. It should be noted that the color guards for the event were members of the Howard University Air Force cadet program.
In addition to the evening’s SAR–DAR recognitions, the program also highlighted a major community initiative supporting veterans in the District of Columbia. Founded in 1985, Access Housing was the first program of its kind in the greater DC area to provide critical services to homeless veterans. The Chief Operating Officer, Cliff Lewis, gave an overview of the program that has provided transitional (short-term) housing to veterans in the DMV area experiencing homelessness. The program goal is to offer secure permanent housing. Two of their buildings were selected for renovations that will transform them from transitional housing to permanent homes for veterans.
Currently, these buildings have single-occupancy rooms with shared kitchens and bathrooms. The renovations will reconfigure each unit into a fully equipped apartment with a private kitchen and bathroom, giving each resident what they need to live there long-term. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs awarded $1.5 million for this project, alongside $250,000 from the Home Depot Foundation. At the recommendation of a DAR member, Ritchie visited the facility on March 25th and spent 90 minutes speaking with veteran residents. It was a very rewarding personal experience for him. Mr. Lewis invited Ritchie to make a return visit to which he agreed. More information is available at (https://www.accesshousingdc.org/)
It was announced during the gala that DAR was presenting Access Housing a six-figure grant in support of their program initiative. This award, in part, was facilitated by past DAR Corresponding Secretary General Janet McFarland and approved by DAR President General Virginia Sebastian "Ginnie" Storage. The Access Housing fundraising gala will be held on December 4, 2026. The evening underscored the enduring partnership between DAR, SAR, and the broader Washington community in honoring service, preserving history, and supporting those who have served our nation.