The National Society of Colonial Dames in the State of New York 

General Guidelines for Prospective Member’s Letters 

The critical points of a letter are information about a prospective member’s character, background, interests, and possible contribution to the Society. It should reflect how well the prospective member is known by the writer. Below is a general guideline. Please note that one must be a member of the NSCDA for two years before writing a letter. Above all we ask that you really consider how well you know the prospective member before you do so. You should include the following information to make your letter stand out: 

YOUR RELATIONSHIP 

• How do you know the prospective member? 

• How well do you know the other people writing for the prospective member? Do you share mutual friends with the prospective member? 

• Does the prospective member know any other Dames? 

• Has the prospective member attended any previous Dames events? 

THE PROSPECTIVE MEMBER’S CHARACTER 

• The prospective member’s personal attributes 

• Any anecdote(s) you have about the prospective member that would shed light on her character 

• Why the prospective member wants to join the NSCDNY 

• Why the prospective member would make a good addition to the NSCDNY 

• Specifically, how the prospective member could contribute to the NSCDNY 

This should be a thoughtful process that does not require all of your time. We appreciate your efforts and hope you will keep the letters coming.