President's March/April 2009 Message
Hello to All, Sisters and Comrades!
We began the New Year by hosting the Fourth District Official Department Visit Meetings on January 4th. At the Auxiliary's level, we were formally inspected by our District President, Cindy Martin, at our November meeting. The Department Official Visit is sort of the equivalent at the District level - and it was our opportunity to help Cindy and all of her line officers showcase our District's accomplishments to the State President, Kay Fuller, and her line officers. The meeting was a terrific success and I want to thank everyone who helped with the arrangements. During the meeting, our Auxiliary was singled out and cited for getting in all of our reports in several categories, as well as for our robust and active committees. Afterward, we gave Kay and several of her officers a quick tour of the Veterans' Memorial outside and described our Memorial Day observance, which they found most impressive. Many came back up to the Post to socialize and catch up on old friends.
The Laughlin bus trip was a blast! Marge and Del Rupp have been doing the organizing of these trips for the last couple of years, and now it's time for others to step up and learn how, so I'll be asking them to 'teach a class' on how to arrange these so that others, and I, can learn to do them, going forward. It's an easy fundraiser for the Post and a lot of fun for all.
Our Voice of Democracy and Patriot's Pen winners were presented with certificates and checks at our February breakfast - the District winner is also the State winner and will go on to the National competition. Fostering patriotism in these young minds is only a part of our mission statement, but a critically important one: if we don't teach the children of our country about the value of our hard-won freedoms, they won't know not to give them away in the future - they won't know until it's too late.
We'll have a special treat just before the start of our March 9th meeting: we'll be making a presentation of a Hawthorne-area Girl Scout, Josette Leiba, for earning a Gold Award, the highest achievement in the Girl Scouts organization. In that meeting, we'll be electing delegates to represent us in District elections. The Auxiliary's actively supporting the American Cancer Society's Hawthorne Relay for Life on Saturday, April 4th. At the District level, there will be a 'hat/ensemble fashion show' and dinner to raise funds.
One of my colleagues at work is a reservist and her unit has been stationed in Iraq for more than a year. Thanks in part to my learning from Operation Gratitude about what is needed, my co-workers and I were able to assemble and send a 'CARE' package to her, which she greatly appreciated…especially the lip balm and the root beer barrels! -- things you and I take for granted because we can find them in every corner drugstore, but which are links to home that our troops serving overseas really miss. For just under $12, the Post Office delivers the box in just over a week, and you can pack up to 12 pounds of goodies in it! We should be doing more of these - if you know of someone serving overseas, get us the name and address and let's see what great things we can do.
The visits to the hospitals show our vets that their service is not forgotten, and brings cheer and comfort when loved ones are sometimes far away. The raffles at the Friday night Bingo games have raised money to support our programs: a special thank you to those who contribute goodies and those who run the raffles. Never forget that the little things you do in the Auxiliary are making big differences in people's lives every day. Thank you!
Madeline "Maddie" CUNNINGHAM-COLSTON
President
Sr. Vice President's January/February 2009 Message
Dear Sisters,
A great big “THANK YOU” to all who helped with the Veterans' Thanksgiving Dinner. You did a “super job.”
VFW National Home For Children News
Please save and send/give to me labels, caps, UPC codes from the following products. They will be sent to the VFW National Home where they will be used for items needed by the Home.
- Campbell: Soups, Beans, Juices, Gravies, Chunky Products
- Spaghetti O's
- Silent Harvest
- V8 Splash - Cap
- V8 Soup
- Healthy Request
- Franco-American
- Pepperidge Farm
- Swanson
- Prego
- V8 juices & Fusion - Caps
- Market Day
We have sent birthday cards for the children, donated to Health & Happiness /Christmas Fund, purchased a Life Membership and of course sent in labels. Try and send a birthday card to a child and let me know that you sent a card. The address is:
Any Child
VFW National Home For Children
3573 Waverly Road
Eaton Rapids, MI , 48827
In closing I want to wish each of you a ”Happy & Healthy New Year”.
Loyally,
Carol STEINHAUER
Senior Vice President
TO ALL CONTINUOUS MEMBERS:
If you have not paid your 2009 dues PLEASE DO SO. As of January 1, 2009, if you do not have your dues paid you will not be able to attend a meeting and will not be eligible for the CANCER GRANT SHOULD YOU NEED IT. If you have a problem please let me know.
To those of you who have paid for 2009, THANK YOU. All the new 2009 cards are in the mail.
TO ALL CONTINUOUS AND LIFE MEMBERS:
If you know of anyone who is eligible to belong to the Auxiliary, please ask them to join or let me know and I will contact them. If they are a Mother, Wife, Daughter, granddaughter or sister of a Veteran who has served overseas, they would be eligible. Our qualifications to join the Auxiliary are the same as the Post so if you are not sure they can join, you can also talk to a member of the Post. By increasing our membership for both the Post and Auxiliary it gives us more voice and power to assist our Veterans and also our Troops in service.
IF YOU MOVE . . .PLEASE let me know, even if you have notified National. It sometimes takes them three or four months to let me know.
If you have any questions please call me at 310-645-6839. If I am not home I have an answering machine. Please leave a message and I will return your call.
Loyally,
Rita E. KURTZ
Auxiliary Treasurer and Membership Chairman
Hi, Sisters . . .
We raised $100.00 for the Cancer fund by selling pull tabs at our Friday Night Bingo. I want to thank everyone who took part. Also, remember about our Cancer Grant for all the Auxiliary members. For more information contact me. I have the forms.
(310-675-7213)
Always,
Valera BRAUN
Cancer Chairman
The ladies auxiliary has a bake sale at every spaghetti dinner and Sunday breakfast at the Post.
We offer desserts and whole baked goods or multiple portions during the same hours - 3 to 6pm during the dinner and 9-11:30am or noon during breakfast.
Please be sure to stop by and help support us in one of our fundraisers. Thanks from the Bake Sale Ladies.
Aggie THOMPSON
Phyllis WASZKIEWICZ
January . . .
Leigh Adams, Shellee Betty, Josephine Brown, Marianne Davis, Aurelia Crawford, Cinelandia Ferrell, Cinelandia Ferrell, Jr., Nelfaye Henderson, Debbie Irelan-Beavers, Anne Rupp Law, Miyoko Minear, Berlayne Olson, and Juanita Stark.
February . . .
Edna Darrel, Iona Dix, Cheryl Graveline, Jan Hansen, Donna Legeness, Lori Phillips, Kyle Hamilton-Orlemann, Isabella Reed, Diana Sayers, Barbara Sewell, Betty Sidell, Aggie Thompson, and Gina Lofton.
March . . .
Vicki Callahan, Joanna Hull, Sharon Martinez, Ellen Menzies, Carol Morack, Phyllis Steinhauer Rivas, Norma Jean Schultz, and Gracie Wantland.
April . . .
Alice Hartzell Edwards, Jessica Colston, Carma Conrad, Jeanette Larger, and Inez Tercero.
Auxiliary meetings are held the 2nd Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at your Post 2075
Ladies, we ask that you start participating more with our meetings and activities. Let others know that our Auxiliary exists and we are functioning not just for fulfilling our obligations to Department but also letting the public know we are fulfilling our obligations to our Veterans', their families, children and youth and our community.
Do you have juniors (ages 0-18) that might be interested in learning about our organization? They can help promote our Auxiliary programs through their schools. Juniors are able to apply for scholarships, help support U. S. Military service personnel and their families, they receive rewards and accolades that look good on their scholarship applications. But the most important benefit they receive is their activities instills pride in them because they are able to educate others in what true Patriotism is all about.
