DUP rolls hit high as centennial nears
Deseret News 5Oct99 P4
By Lynn Arave: Deseret News staff writer

and

Pioneer women wanted special heritage society
Deseret News 5Oct99 P4
By Lynn Arave: Deseret News staff writer

Daughters of Utah Pioneers will approach its centennial in 200l with an all time membership of 18,500 women from every state and Canada. With a ninety-eight and one-half year history, the DUP has been battling two common misconceptions, religion and purpose. DUP President Mary Johnson said, "We're a heritage organization, not a social club."

With a main objective to preserve landmarks, historical locations, collect histories and create a new library, members dispel the concern that they are involved in just a social club for gray-haired grandmas. The average age of the group is about 60 but current membership ranges from 18 to 102. Women must be at least age 18 to join.

"You don't have to be Mormon to join," said Colette Liddel, the DUP's public relations speicalist. "You just need a pioneer ancestor." The group does not, nor has it ever, asked the religion of its's members. They have no exact statistics to show that its membership is predominantly Mormon. Liddell reports that some non-LDS who were part of the original pioneer group that enetered the valley were not Mormon.

The DUP just completed its International Convention at the Doubletree Hotel with a theme of "Leadership is the key." The DUP has printed six volumes of "Treasures of Pioneer Heritage" 20 volumes of "Our Pioneer Heritage" and a dozen volumes of "An Enduring Legacy." The current DUP series is "Chronicles of Courage."