NATCHEZ — The William Dunbar and Natchez Chapters along with Port Gibson’s Pathfinder Chapter of MSSDAR met on Tuesday, Sept. 11, for a joint luncheon at Dunleith.

William Dunbar Regent Leslie Bruning welcomed the guests and speaker. Mary F. Willard, regent of the Natchez Chapter, led the Pledge of Allegiance and the American’s Creed. Gina Buckley lead the singing of “America the Beautiful.”

The featured speaker was the State Regent Polly Hunter Grimes. Grimes introduced her theme for the years 2007-2010 as “Celebrate Our Heritage.”

For the next three years she will be asking chapters to support the State Regent’s project at Rosalie.

Her project is the preservation and digitalization of the priceless antique and artifact collections at Rosalie. Each piece will be photographed and recorded in a small museum computer program. The Rosalie and MSSDAR Archives will be preserved in the climate-controlled basement and displayed for Mississippi Daughter gatherings and tours.

State Regent Grimes also encouraged the support of the DAR schools in the country, which educate needy and deprived children.

In keeping with the “Celebrate Our Heritage” theme, the William Dunbar Chapter presented the director of Armstrong Library Susan Cassagne, with a copy of the book “The Mississippi Daughters and their Patriot Ancestors” to be used for research at the public library.

The William Dunbar Chapter hosted a bake sale at the Copper Magnolia Festival Saturday, Sept. 15. the next meeting will be Monday, Oct. 8 in the home of Mrs. Wilton Dale.