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Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Minnesota
GENERAL ORDERS #10 APRIL 2018
"General Orders are to be read at the first meeting following receipt before being filed for reference."
1. CANCELLATION: National VFW Auxiliary Special Order #206 cancelled the Charter of McIntosh Auxiliary #6891, McIntosh, effective February 27, 2018 due to the cancellation of the VFW Post Charter.
2. SUSPENSION: National VFW Auxiliary Special Order #218 suspended the Charter of Harold T. Swenson Auxiliary #612, Fergus Falls, for 60 days upon recommendation of the Department President.
3. MEMBERSHIP: Membership does not end until June 30. Please do not hold any new members until July. These new Sisters/Brothers should have the honor of becoming a new member immediately. The sooner they become members our auxiliaries benefit, as well as our Veterans.
4. VOICE OF DEMOCRACY/LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE: Department Commander Rick Bugbee and I had the great honor to escort our Department Voice of Democracy winner, Logan Ledman, in Washington, D.C. All of us attending from MN were on the edge of our seats as names kept being announced. Logan took 7th Place and received a check for $5,000.00. Thank You again to Northfield VFW Post and Auxiliary #4393 for sponsoring this young man. I also had the honor of spending a day “On the Hill” meeting with our Congresspersons and Senators. A huge Thank You to the Department of MN VFW delegation for including me in all the events that were held. It was truly a great experience and one that I will not forget.
5. LEGISLATIVE: Thank you to all that attended Veterans Day on the Hill on Monday, March 12, 2018 at the Minnesota State Capitol. We had a great showing in attendance and your support is very much appreciated.
6. BUDDY POPPY: Your Buddy Poppy order should be in and your planning of your campaign should be on its way! Remember that we DO NOT sell Poppies; we ask for a donation. Everyone should get a Buddy Poppy regardless if they donate or not. Monies that you receive are to be put into your Relief Fund and used for our Veterans.
7. DISTRICT PRESIDENTS: At the beginning of the year it was told to you that you have the responsibility of choosing “Auxiliary of the Year” from your districts. By now, you may have your idea of which one it will be. It will be a tough choice, but I’m sure you will pick the right one.
8. NATIONAL CONVENTION: Kansas City will be hosting the National Convention from July 21-25, 2018, for the 105th National Convention. Kansas City is also the home town to the VFW Auxiliary National Headquarters.
9. AUDITS: Audits for the months of January, February and March are to be approved and mailed to
the Department Office by April 30th. All audits must be submitted to the Department Office for your Auxiliary to be eligible to vote at your District Convention and the Department Convention. The Credentials Committee will be given a list of ineligible auxiliaries and/or districts for use at Convention.
10. ELECTIONS: Election of officers must be held at a regular business meeting in April. No member shall be elected to office unless she/he is in attendance or she/he submitted in writing their willingness to hold a position. A member may hold one elected office and one or more appointed offices except that a Trustee cannot be President, Secretary or Treasurer.
11. DEPARTMENT CONVENTION: Convention will be held at the Minneapolis Marriott NW from June 7-10. Plans are being finalized for the Auxiliary Training Seminar (ATS) on Thursday, June 7 and registration information will be in the May General Orders.
12. DELEGATE FEES: Please read the bulletin regarding the payment of delegate fees for the Department Convention. All Auxiliaries must pay a delegate fee of $2.00 per delegate based on their March 31 membership whether delegates are attending the Convention or not.
For those of you who have been ill or have loved ones who are ill, we wish all a speedy recovery and
for those of you who have lost a loved one, our sympathies are with you.
"Continuing Our Legacy for ALL Veterans and Their Families" while we work to
"Catch The Dream For Our Veterans"
By Order of: Attested to:
Gail Brekke Marilyn Sheffield Department President Department Secretary
Casual DressSocial from 5 to 6
Buffet Style Dinner at 6Spaghetti & Meatballs/Parmesan
Fettuccine & Chicken Alfredo SauceGarlic Toast, Tossed Salad
Cake
Cost is $12.00 - RSVP$15.00 at the Door
Deadline for tickets is May 10thPick up tickets at the door
Please send reservation and money to:
VFW Post 1223 Auxiliary1505 Center Ave W
ATTN: Karen Haugen/TreasurerDilworth, MN 56529
Please join us for dinner on May 19th as we honor Gail Brekkefor her year as Department President of Minnesota.
Make checks payable to VFW Auxiliary #1223 Questions - Karen Haugen 701-367-1518
Deadline for ordering tickets is May 10th.
Name____________________________________________________Auxiliary #__________
Total Number of Tickets:___________x $12.00 =______________
Department of MN
President Gail Brekke
Testimonial DinnerContinuing our Legacy for ALL Veterans and
Their Families - While we work to
“Catch the Dream For Our Veterans”
NEW!
Delegates and Delegate Fees for Department Convention
A resolution passed at the 2017 Department Convention requires the
payment of Delegate fees of $2.00 per delegate (not alternates) regardless of their attendance at the Department Convention
Elect Delegates and Alternates at a regular meeting held not less than 30 days
before the beginning of the Department Convention (Sec. 304 National Bylaws)
Based on your March 31, 2018 membership
Elect one delegate and one alternate for every 30 members or fraction thereof (Sec. 304 National Bylaws)
Example: Auxiliary #99999 has 100 members – they receive 1 Delegate and 1 Alternate for each 30 members or fraction thereof. 100 ÷ 30 = 3.33 (so this Auxiliary is entitled to 4 Delegates and 4 Alternates)
4 delegates X $2.00 = $8.00 delegate fees
Department elected and appointed officers, Past Department Presidents, and District Presidents that have their own vote are required to pay delegate fees at the Convention if they are not a delegate with their Auxiliary.
Delegate list and payment for delegate fees must be sent to the Department VFW Auxiliary, 20 W. 12th Street, 3rd Floor, St. Paul, MN 55155 by May 23, 2018
An Auxiliary must pay the full amount of the delegate fees at the Convention if the delegate fees have not been received in the Department office
Auxiliaries failing to pay the full delegate fee will be considered delinquent and in arrears. All rights will be restored promptly upon payment of the delegate fees.
The term of office for an elected delegate shall be for one year from the date of election, until the election of new delegates (Sec. 304) National Bylaws
Complete and return to Department by May 23, 2018
Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Minnesota
DEPARTMENT CONVENTION DELEGATES AND ALTERNATES
Auxiliary Secretary: Immediately following the election of Department Delegates and Alternates, please complete (type or print) and mail immediately to the Department Secretary. Upon receipt of this list, the credentials will be mailed to your Auxiliary President. Send this list to: VFW Auxiliary, 20 West 12th Street, 3rd Floor, St Paul MN 55155, attention Department Secretary.
If a member registers as an alternate she must vote as an alternate even though she is replacing a delegate. Elect one (1) delegate and one (1) alternate for every thirty (30) members or fraction thereof in good standing in the Auxiliary as of March 31. (per Department Bylaws)
AUXILIARY # ________ DISTRICT # _____ AUXILIARY LOCATION ____________________
Aux Pres __________________ Sr Vice __________________ Jr Vice __________________ (Above names for documentation only in the event one or two of the officers do not attend. Also, if an Officer named
above is also a delegate they must be listed below.)
DELEGATES ALTERNATES 1. ________________________________ ________________________________
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VFW Auxiliary Department of Minnesota
45 YEAR + MEMBERS
Attention Auxiliary Presidents: Members belonging to the VFW Auxiliary for 45 years or more will be honored with a Special Presentation at the 2017 Department Convention in Maple Grove. Please list the names and mailing addresses of those who plan to attend. Use the back side for additional names & addresses. Mail this form to the Department Secretary by May 23, 2018 at VFW Auxiliary Department of MN, 20 West 12th St, 3rd Floor, St Paul MN 55155. AUXILIARY # DISTRICT #_____ Name Date joined Address City & Zip
Name Date joined
Address City & Zip
Name Date joined Address City & Zip
Name Date joined
Address City & Zip
Name Date joined
Address City & Zip
Name Date joined Address City & Zip
NOT ACCEPTED BEFORE APRIL 1, NOR AFTER MAY 31 of the Current Calendar Year
NATIONAL CONVENTION OFFICIAL DELEGATES AND ALTERNATES
~~DO NOT SEND THIS FORM IN IF NAMES HAVE BEEN INPUT ONLINE~~
TO: National Secretary VFW Auxiliary 406 West 34th Street, 10th Floor Kansas City, Missouri 64111
FROM: AUXILIARY NO. ____________________ DEPARTMENT OF _________________________________
AUXILIARY NAME ______________________________________________________________________
CITY AND STATE _______________________________________________________________________ Per Section 305 of the National Bylaws, “Delegates and Alternates to the National Convention shall be elected at the last regular meeting in April; one for each fifty (50) members or fraction thereof in good standing on March 31. The VFW Auxiliary Secretary shall provide the names of the Delegates and Alternates to the National Secretary, along with their membership ID number, within thirty (30) calendar days of the day of election” and no later than MAY 31. The Auxiliary Secretary is asked to input his or her Auxiliary’s Delegate(s) and Alternate(s) online in MALTA via use of their respective membership ID number(s) and to print out a copy of the Delegate(s) and Alternate(s) for his or her records.
This is to certify that the Delegate(s) and Alternate(s) listed below were duly elected to represent our VFW Auxiliary at the upcoming National Convention on ________________________ based on the total VFW Auxiliary membership as of MARCH 31 in the MALTA System.
ID Number and Name ARE REQUIRED to complete this form. TYPE or PRINT NEATLY each Delegate’s or Alternate’s ID NUMBER and NAME.
~DELEGATE CREDENTIALS WILL BE ISSUED AT CONVENTION SITE UPON CHECK-IN.~
DELEGATES ALTERNATES ID NUMBER MEMBER’S FIRST AND LAST NAME ID NUMBER MEMBER’S FIRST AND LAST NAME _____________ __________________________ _____________ __________________________ _____________ __________________________ _____________ __________________________ _____________ __________________________ _____________ __________________________ _____________ __________________________ _____________ __________________________ _____________ __________________________ _____________ __________________________ _____________ __________________________ _____________ __________________________ _____________ __________________________ _____________ __________________________ _____________ __________________________ _____________ __________________________ _____________ __________________________ _____________ __________________________ _____________ __________________________ _____________ __________________________
________________________________ _________________________________ ____________________________ (Auxiliary Secretary) (Address) (City, State & Zip Code)
NOTE: This is a listing only. (NO CHECKS ARE TO BE INCLUDED WITH THIS FORM.)
Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Minnesota
Treasurer’s Tips April 2018 Spring is in the air and I love the warmer weather and more sunlight! I want to thank all of you that contacted me to let me know that you read the entire bulletin from start to finish….your names were entered into the drawing and the winner is mentioned later in this bulletin. An 81/2 X 11 VFW
Auxiliary pad-folio is on the way (ordered from the VFW Store). Thanks to everyone that took the time to let me know that you read the Treasurer Tips Bulletins…..we had 11 Treasurers , 2 Auxiliary Presidents, 1 District President and 1 Auxiliary Guard tell me they read my bulletins…..now I hope there are a lot more actually reading them, but they just forgot to notify me. LOL HUGE THANK YOU to District 9 President Diane Rux for having me come up and teach the MALTA Class in Perham, we had a great turnout and we covered so much information, hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did. Now on to the business at hand……. Signatures on Checks – ONLY the PRESIDENT AND TREASURER are allowed to sign checks. These should be the only two names on the Signature Card at your bank. Your Bond will be null and void if others are signing checks. Transferring Members – ALL members wishing to transfer MUST be investigated and voted on. Membership Applications must be filled out completely. This is not new…it is just being enforced. Birthdates- Applications CAN NOT be processed without a birthdate. MALTA will not let us bypass this step. Membership Stats- You can find your most current Membership Statistics in MALTA under Reports. Click on Membership Summary and enter your Auxiliary number. This will give you current numbers to verify that all members that you believe to be processed match your totals. Real Time- Please keep in mind that your Membership Statistics will change immediately when you add a new member, pay dues on a lapsed member, a member transfers out or you report a member as deceased. You may be 100% today, but if someone transfers tomorrow your percentage WILL GO DOWN and you will need to find another member in order to achieve 100% again. Audits – Negative Balances are not allowed. If you do not have money in your auxiliary coffers, you should not be spending. You MAY NOT use designated funds (Relief Fund, Cancer Fund, Remodeling Fund, etc.) for anything other than their intended purpose.
Members Requesting to Be Dropped – The member must send a written request directly to National Headquarters (not through Auxiliary Treasurer). The request must include name, address, membership ID and daytime phone number for verification. The request cannot be a form letter, pre-typed by the Auxiliary Treasurer. Treasurer’s Report- At each Auxiliary meeting, the Treasurer shall make a report following the Reading of the Minutes, which shall contain:
a. Balance on hand at last report b. Amount received from all sources since last report c. Amount expended since last report d. Balance on hand
The Treasurer’s Report must show all receipts and disbursements in detail, including name of person or firm to whom check is issued and stating for what purpose. Presentation of Bills- Bills to be read by the Secretary, and then given to the Trustees for review. The only exception is when an expenditure is provided for in the Bylaws or Standing Rules. Following New Business the Trustees then make their Report and at that time a Motion is required for payment of bills presented. Auxiliary members then vote to approve or disapprove the payment of the bills as presented. NO bill may be paid without approval of the Auxiliary members or without a Bylaw or Standing Rule in place to cover said expenses. EVERY fund the Auxiliary has (Cancer, Relief, Improvement, Kitchen, Officers, etc) MUST be listed in your Treasurer’s Ledger separately. This will ensure that only the monies in those “accounts” are expended for the purposes which they are intended and funds from other accounts are not used for incorrect purposes. (i.e. no Cancer Fund monies can be used for Kitchen expenses). All of these funds are kept in one checking account; however, they must be tracked as individual accounts/funds within your ledger. Now for the moment you have all been waiting for; the winner of our contest. Congratulations to Rhonda Decker, Auxiliary 9232 in District 2. Thanks again to all of you that let me know that you are reading the bulletins. May you have a Blessed Easter. Laurie A. Dale, Treasurer Department of MN VFW Auxiliary
Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Minnesota
VETERANS & FAMILY SUPPORT Bulletin #10 April 2018
“Buddy”® Poppy and springtime, ah, yes! It’s the time of year for fresh beginnings, warm sunshine, and raising awareness of the official VFW memorial flower. Remember, every day is “Buddy”® Poppy day. Check out these upcoming dates and deadlines and wear the “Buddy”® Poppy:
“Buddy”® Poppy card distribution: April 20th – 29th “Buddy”® Poppy distribution: May 18th – 19th “Buddy”® Poppy report due: May 30th
Has your Auxiliary considered a “Buddy”® Poppy Kit? With spring upon us, what a perfect time to educate, promote, and publicize poppies. Within the kit, keep copies of the VFW’s ‘The Story of the “Buddy”® Poppy’ brochure and patriotic writing utensils with a “Buddy”® Poppy attached for education. Add in bookmarks with the ‘In Flanders’ Fields’ poem to distribute on patriotic days such as Memorial Day or attach a “Buddy”® Poppy to holiday treat bags or greeting cards for promotion. Communicate “Buddy”® Poppy events through social media, high traffic poster boards or locations, or in local community flyers or newspapers for publication. April is designated as the Military Child Month. Current statistics indicate there are approximately 2,000,000 military children ranging in age from newborn to 18. 1,300,000 of these children are school aged. Have you or your Auxiliary considered a donation to the VFW National Home for Children? For more information and a listing of frequently asked questions, refer to the enclosed handout. Veterans and Family Support, through special recognition of the military family, will ensure a successful year by “Continuing Our Legacy For ALL Veterans and Their Families” as we work to “Catch the Dream for Our Veterans.” Francesca Bill, Chairman 4882 Woodcrest Rd. White Bear Lake, MN 55110 Phone: 651-263-6721 Email: [email protected]
What does it cost to run the National Home and how is it funded?
A. It costs approximately 5.2 million a year to operate the National Home and it receives no
state or federal funding.
What are residents charged to live at the National Home?
A. Residents live in a single family home completely free of charge. In addition, they also
receive free childcare for children 5 and under. The burden of these two expenses alone is
often a hindrance to a family moving forward towards their long term goals. The National
Home’s program lifts these burdens and allows families to focus on rebuilding their lives.
What is the National Home’s population?
A. The National Home provides housing, case management services and educational services
to military and Veteran families. The age groups vary by family and there are typically 90
children and 50 adults living on campus.
Do the children who live at the National Home attend public school or is there a school on campus?
A. The children living at the Home attend public schools.
Does the National Home pay for medical and dental expenses?
A. Residents of the National Home are required to have some form of medical insurance and
we also offer medical, dental, and vision assistance on an as-needed basis.
Do children at the National Home participate in extra-curricular activities?
A. The children have the opportunity to take part in many activities, both through the public
school system and our on-campus programs. The home offers many activities such as: 4-H
club, Cool Beans life skill program, summer enrichment programs and piano lessons. Kids
also have access to a full gymnasium, basketball court, baseball field, and many
playgrounds.
Do residents attend church?
A. The families living at the National Home can choose to attend local area houses of worship.
Do you offer short term housing?
A. Military & Veteran families can live at the National Home for up to 4 years. Each situation is
evaluated independently; please encourage any family in need to call us 800.313.4200.
How do people qualify to live at the National Home?
A. Individuals go through an application process that assesses their readiness to participate in
the program. This process begins with a call to our Helpline at 800.313.4200.
How many employees work at the National Home?
A. At any given time we usually have about 50 full-time equivalent employees. In addition to
needing program staff to work with our families, we are essentially operating a small city.
Our employee responsibilities range from maintaining the grounds of our 80-acre
community to operating a state-licensed daycare to providing education and recreation
opportunities for all our residents, 365 days a year.
Is there a waiting list to live at the National Home?
A. No, there is not a waiting list and we are in fact currently accepting applications for resident
families into our program. This once in a lifetime opportunity helps families and individuals
strengthen and advance their talents, skills, relationships, financial situations, careers and
much more. This opportunity is available because of Veterans’ service to our country and
the VFW’s commitment to “Honoring the dead by serving the living.” Please encourage
families in need in your community to contact us at 800.313.4200 or visit
www.vfwnationalhome.org/help. Most families qualify to apply and our caring staff will
help to determine eligibility.
What situations bring a family to the National Home?
Single or married parents that want to go back to school or skilled trades to better provide
for their families
Veterans who have had a difficult time reintegrating to civilian life
Single or married parents that have experienced financial difficulty due to job loss,
foreclosure or bankruptcy
Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Minnesota
AMERICANISM
April 2018 - Bulletin #10
Brothers & Sisters, It’s never too late to host a FAMILY FREEDOM FESTIVAL? In fact, it’s EASY. Set a date, prepare and market the event. Order or Download Membership Brochures, Facts Leaflets, VOD & Creative Patriotic Art Brochures, etc. from VFW Auxiliary National Headquarters. Use this event to toot your horn and promote all our great programs. Remember activities held after April 1 can be reported on next year’s Year End Reports. National Ambassador, Diana Rudeen, has written to remind us of items we can accomplish: Join forces with other organizations in your area (Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, mental health agencies, food pantries, etc.) to increase the services you can provide to veterans, active duty military and their families. Distribute U.S. Flags and/or present a certificate of recognition to a local business, private citizen and/or youth group for flying the Flag. Distribute flags to businesses, community organizations and schools that do not have a flag flying or provide a new flag to those whose flag is tattered. Present a certificate in recognition to those displaying the Flag or POW/MIA flag. If you are wondering how your Auxiliary can help in the POW/MIA issue, please write your Congress members: 1.) Demand that our own various federal agencies release government records (kept classified) concerning the fate of loved ones. 2.) To revamp the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) who again has a new Director and 3.) Pressure Moscow and Beijing governments to release dossiers, files and archives of Americans held or never repatriated. Families deserve to know what happened. MAY 1st is Loyalty Day, According to the U.S. Code, "Loyalty Day is a special day for the reaffirmation of loyalty to the United States and for the recognition of the heritage of American Freedom." Monday, May 28, 2018 - Memorial Day commemorates all Americans who have died in military service for the United States. This day was originally known as Decoration Day. The current name for this day did not come into use until after World War II. Decoration Day and then Memorial Day used to be held on May 30, regardless of the day of the week, on which it fell. In 1968, the Uniform Holidays Bill was passed as part of a move to use federal holidays to create three-day weekends. This meant that, from 1971, Memorial Day holiday has been officially observed on the last Monday in May. In Patriotism, Carol Kratz / MN Dept. Americanism Chairman [email protected] Ph 651-245-1024
Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Minnesota
CHIEF OF STAFF/EXTENSION APRIL 2018
GO, GO, GO!!! Now is the time to keep the momentum going we can’t stop now!
So, how do you keep the momentum going....…
• There are several holidays coming up that are great opportunities to call members, invite them to come to an event or service project, and get to know them and get them involved. Think about ways to get your members “jazzed” about the Auxiliary at events around the following holidays:
*Easter (Sunday, April 1) *Vietnam Veterans Day (March 29-30) *Gold Star Spouses Day (Thursday, April 5) *Loyalty Day (Tuesday, May 1)
• Send out the Healthy Auxiliary Questionnaire from the Healthy VFW Auxiliary Toolkit
to all your members that don’t attend meetings, find out why they don’t come and do something about it! There are many reasons members don’t come to meetings, some of which are out of our control. But, adjusting things that we can control (like changing meeting day/times, providing childcare) often lead to increased participation and ultimately, a healthier Auxiliary.
• Call and/or write a note to members who haven’t been to a meeting for more than six
months and let them know they are missed and invite them to the next meeting or event. A call or note is more personal than an email or text message.
• Make mentoring a priority in your Auxiliary. Read the VFW Auxiliary Mentoring Guide
and think about how you can be an effective mentor in your Auxiliary.
• In April, nominate members for officer positions within your Auxiliary who will volunteer for and positively promote the Auxiliary in your community.
• Hold an open house where prospective new members can come and find
out about the VFW Auxiliary. It’s a great opportunity for them to visit with members and learn about our National Programs and everything we do in our local communities!
Laurie A. Dale Chief of Staff Department of MN VFW Auxiliary
Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Minnesota
HISTORIAN APRIL 2018
I’m sure you have heard the phrase, “A picture is worth a thousand words”. It can convey sadness, joy, fun and bring on tears, a smile, laughter but most importantly - memories. As Department Historian I want to create those memories for our Department President Gail – a picture book she can look at and recall her year. I asked for snapshots to be sent to me at the Midwinter Conference, however I have not received any. I want pictures of meetings, social occasions, dinners, open houses, events that our Department President was in attendance at. Now I need YOU to send them to me. So, check your camera – print off those so important pictures and include the date, place and event on the back OR number the pictures and list the date, place and event to correspond with the number on a piece of paper. Other memorabilia such as programs, agendas, announcements are also welcomed. My goal is to have a partially completed scrapbook for presentation at the June convention. Don’t put off this important contribution you can make for our President Gail. A picture tells a story just as well as, if not better, than a lot of words. “Continuing our Legacy for all Veterans and Their Families”, Gail’s theme, is a story to be put in picture form. Judy Mitchell, Department Historian 331 Quehl Ave N
Lakeland MN 55043
651-436-7581
HOSPITAL Bulletin #10 - April 2018
Has you Auxiliary worked with the Veterans Voices Writing Project? It is a therapeutic writing program, to help veterans express themselves. Check at your local VA facility for more information, to find out how can you help. Visit the veteransvoices.org website for more information. Three times a year the Veterans Voices magazine is printed, it includes a selection of these articles. Consider buying a subscription for your local VA. Auxiliary Hospital Chairman have you ordered Hospital Volunteer pins? The form is available on the National Website. Go to the National website, click on WHAT WE DO, scroll to HOSPITAL..click, scroll to ACCESS HOSPITAL PROGRAM RESOURCES… click, up will come a list of Hospital Forms, and you will find the VOLUNTEER AWARDS form. If you do not have access to the National site, give me a call and I can mail you some copies. It is important to recognize and thank our volunteers. Spring and Easter are just around the corner; check out Pinterest for lots of fun ideas and easy gifts to create. April 6th is Army Day, order a cake decorated with Army items to take to a local VA facility or nursing home for an afternoon of cake, coffee, and conversation. Every month I hope to include notes from all our VA Homes and Hospitals, listing upcoming events, needs, events they hosted, etc. Many of you are unable to attend the Hospital Board meetings, so we hope to keep you up to date with these notes in the General Orders: At Fergus Falls Veterans Home we had a well-attended Sweetheart Lunch on Valentine’s Day. I helped serve punch prior to the luncheon and had treats after the luncheon. I had lunch with a resident without family in attendance. After the luncheon I stayed to visit with residents and stay for the music. March 13th there was a grand opening celebration for the new General Store location. On March 16th, we had the St Patrick’s Parade which is held in the facility and the residents participate in it. On March 17th 9th District American Legion and Auxiliary will bake donuts in the kitchen near the main entry. This is well received by the residents. Last year 45 dozen donuts were made. On March 29th there will be a Vietnam Veterans Day Program. Celia Piippo Things at the Minneapolis VA are doing well. No big needs at this time. The VA is requesting donations for their Coffee Fund as they no longer get any from Caribou. The checks can be sent directly to the Minneapolis VAHCS earmarked Coffee Fund. I am still looking for volunteers on Wednesdays and Thursday to distribute personal care items to our in patients. The Creative Arts Festival was a huge success. Lots of talented veterans took part. Reva Swanson Everything is going good at the Minneapolis Veterans Home. Due to the flu in Building 6 we were out for Distribution only once in February. They were also letting the residents from Building 6 tour their new Building 22 that day and felt there just was too much going on and it was better that we cancelled. They really are good about letting us know. The Grand Opening for Building 22 is March 22nd. Ceremonies will start at 10am in bldg. 19 in the community room. Activities include a Dedication, Ribbon Cutting and guided tours.
Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary
Department of Minnesota
Our needs are much the same as they were at Mid-winter. Donations are welcome, especially monies to the Dept. so we can continue to purchase toiletries and clothing for Distribution for our Veterans. At this time we do not need no sew blankets. We the volunteers, the staff and residence want to thank the Auxiliaries for all they do for our Veterans and all the support they give us in Distribution. Doris Anderson At the Luverne Veterans Home we are always looking for workers to serve coffee on one of the 10 days out of every month that we cover. The 3rd District is having their Loyalty Day meeting at the Veterans Home and will be donating cover ups that have been sewn by the auxiliary’s of the 3rd District as their sewing project. Lois Novosad The St. Cloud VA has a new Volunteer Services Officer Daniel Ball as of March 4, 2018. Dan is a U.S. Army Veteran, serving as a signals intelligence analyst in Kunia, Hawaii, from 1999 to 2003. Dan has served in many areas of emergency and disaster services in other states prior to working at the VA. Dan has been employed at the St. Cloud VA since 2016. VFWA financial donations have made it possible the month of February and the first part of March, to purchase 10 iPods for the pain clinic to help Veterans with PTSD. Mental Health has asked for and received gift cards to purchase gas, groceries, fast food places and personal necessities for Veterans in need. Thank you for assisting the Veterans of the St. Cloud VA HCS. Accomplishments: Suicide Prevention Fully operationalized all aspects of the #Be There campaign supporting Suicide Prevention; 36 outreach events have connected with 7,882 Veterans and supporters in Q1, FY18 Implemented REACH program to proactively monitor identified patients with high risk factors, currently care managing 32 cases, Healthcare for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) HCHV is well resourced to respond to local need This includes 5 short-term transitional living beds (up to 6 months). 11 beds available for longer term transition (up to 2 years) and 75 rent subsidy vouchers for permanent supported living. HCHV staff engages over 600 homeless and at risk Veterans each year. Current focus is on homelessness prevention. Darlene Jackson At the Fargo VA on Valentine’s Day we paid for the Veterans and their spouses to have a wonderful Prime Rib dinner. A large, beautiful Aquarium was set up in the new CLC unit; I used some of the funds you donated to help with the upkeep and cleaning. The birthday parties are a great hit, we serve cake and ice cream with some fresh fruit, we have a card with $5 and a small gift for all Veterans with a birthday that month. They truly enjoy the company on a quiet Sunday afternoon. This is all done with the funds you so generously donate to department for the Hospital Program. Thanks to all that donated quilts this last month, our storage room is once again, (for a short time) full of quilts! Karen Haugen
“Catch the Dream for Our Veterans” by “Continuing our legacy for all veterans and their families”
Karen Haugen Department Hospital Chairman 1810 17th St S. Moorhead, MN 56560 701.367.1518 [email protected]
LEGISLATIVE Bulletin #10 - April 2018
Greetings Auxiliary Brothers & Sisters! We have just finished up our Nashville Mid-Year Conference. Lots of great information was brought back from Nashville, TN. Below you will find what our National Legislative Chair Carmelita Jones has distributed to all. If interested, let me know and I will forward the email to you. “We are now halfway through this Legislative Program Year, and I am able to report to you that we are doing a great job in growing and strengthening our national grassroots advocacy network through the VFW Action Corps sign-ups. The VFW Action Corps is happy to announce that the number of subscribers from the Auxiliary is on the rise! There have been more than 800 new subscribers from our ranks from 1 July 2017 to 31 December 2017. In addition, 3,830 out of the 5,331 Auxiliary Members who signed-up with VFW Action Corps responded to the VFW Action Alerts over the same period. This is excellent --- a 72% response rate. We have come a long way and our efforts have been recognized by the VFW. However, our work is not done!!! We must continue to encourage our members to join the VFW Action Corps. This is our platform for mobilizing the grassroots so that our voices are heard in Washington, D.C. Our goal is to make a difference and help ensure that good legislation is passed and bad legislation is defeated. If you have not signed-up as a Veterans Advocate yet, please do.” GUIDING PRINCIPLES
1. ALL politics is local. 2. STAY informed on Key ISSUES. 3. Our elected officials WORK FOR US. 4. HOLD them ACCOUNTABLE. 5. Your influence Counts – USE IT!
Please remember Reports are coming due and if you have questions do not hesitate to reach out to me. We are doing GREAT things, keep up the GREAT WORK!!! Department of Minnesota Chair Tracy McReynolds [email protected] 651-307-2619
Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary
Department of Minnesota
Membership & Leadership
Jamie Cassavant, Department of Minnesota Chairman
218-289-0865 [email protected]
April 2018
Spring is on its way AND we still have lots to do. If you still have members that have not paid their dues, it is time to talk to them personally, not by email or mail. “Call or visit them – and find out why they have not paid their dues yet. If they are having financial or personal problems, consider taking money from your Relief Fund to help them out” -- stated Brenda Bryant, Big Ten Coach.
Talk to people at any group you belong to and encourage them to honor their veteran by becoming a member of the VFW Auxiliary. Let them know what exciting things your Auxiliary is doing. Be sure to carry the current application dated 12/2017. You can find it online on our Department page at: mnvfwauxiliary.org under Forms -- Membership section. The Membership Handout 2018 included in the same section is an aid to help complete the application OR National: vfwauxiliary.org Member Login – Resources – Membership - application
Many members question why we push so hard to keep our organization 100% Plus. It is all about our veterans and their families. If we lose our members: Who is going to work our programs? Who will go to the hospitals and volunteer? Who is going to speak up and tell Congress to stop balancing the budget
on the back of our veterans?
REMEMBER --- with our numbers, we speak volumes when we ask Congress to support our veterans and make sure they are taken care of. So, make sure you are not leaving any of our members behind. Keep working your membership list and make sure you have made that personal contact with them. Always remember that one more member matters
CIRCLE OF EXCELLENCE: Make sure you keep your list of due dates required for the Circle of Excellence close by, so you do not miss any of those important dates. We can do this! We want to see President Gail in the “Circle” at the 2018 Convention.
CATCH FIVE PIN: Is your auxiliary keeping track of the new/rejoin members you are signing up? The National Catch Five pin is available to any member that signs up five new/rejoin members. Also remember when your member signs up twenty new members they are eligible for the National Membership Achievement Award. Keep sending in the forms for both of these. MEMBERSHIP is the backbone that keeps the VFW Auxiliary going. Without Membership, who will be
there to fight for our veterans? CONTINUE TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN MEMBERS!!!!!
FIVE IDEAS TO HELP YOUR AUXILIARY REACH 100% PLUS
IN MEMBERSHIP THIS SPRING
(Deb McCullum, National Membership Ambassador) Think of spring holidays that usually bring your friends and neighbors out to events going on in your community. Host a non-traditional membership drive; offer a “FUN” incentive for a completed membership application Host a “Membership Hunt” – get creative -- and have a basket filled with goodies for the person that brings in the most new members. Talk to some of your Auxiliary’s newer or younger members; get some of their ideas and put them to use. Ask them to spearhead the drive and jump in to help. It may be the best drive or event that your Auxiliary has hosted! Make sure all continuous members have paid their dues – PERSONAL CONTACT IS IMPORTANT NOW. All members that have not paid their dues by June 30, 2018 will no longer be a member and will have to re-apply to be a member of the VFW Auxiliary. Here’s an idea from Deb McCullum, Membership Ambassador from Florida! (Please make sure you present this on the floor for approval at your Auxiliary meeting): Starting in April, many Auxiliaries in Deb’s Department give new members a monetary incentive to join. The regular fee for one (1) year is collected along with the per diem for one (1) year. For Example: Say that your Auxiliary’s yearly dues are $30.00 per year plus a $5.00 initiation fee ($35.00) plus $12.00 per diem. Once the application is voted on and the new member is approved, the new member pays $47.00 in April 2018 and will not owe any dues until December 2019.
Minnesota Members are Magnificent and Marvelous!
Jamie Cassavant, Membership & Leadership Chairman
There are a lot of great things happening in Minnesota and we all want to reach 100% plus so let’s do all we can to achieve these goals! I AM VERY PROUD OF ALL THAT YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THIS YEAR. GREAT JOB EVERYONE!
Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Minnesota
SCHOLARSHIPS
Bulletin #10 - April 2018
Spring is right around the corner. Can it be that we are done with all our scholarship programs for the year? Take some time and write down some reminders for next year. What worked well, what needed to be worked on, etc. We want this Scholarship program to be promoted all year long. Since 1947, the Voice of Democracy has been the Veterans of Foreign Wars’ premier scholarship program. Each year, nearly 40,000 high school students compete for more than $2 million in scholarships and incentives. The theme for the 2018-2019 Voice of Democracy Program is “Why My Vote Matters”. Patriot’s Pen is a Veterans of Foreign Wars sponsored essay competition giving students an opportunity to write essays expressing their views on an annual patriotic theme. There were more than 120,000 students who participated this past year in this contest. The theme for the 2018-2019 Patriot’s Pen Program is “Why I Honor the American Flag”. Let’s start promoting the themes for the National Scholarships in your communities. It is never too early to let them start planning and preparing. We know that we have many very talented youth in our communities. We know that a youth from Minnesota can win on the National level. Thank you to all the VFW Posts and Auxiliaries for all your hard work this past year. The Scholarship Program is a fun one to promote. There is a lot of work that needs to take place, and everyone has shown me that they do care about our youth. Thank you for making Minnesota shine in the National Scholarships Program. I have enjoyed this year as Scholarships Chairman and have enjoyed hearing from many of you throughout the year. I can’t wait to give awards to many deserving Auxiliaries for your hard work this past year. I have enjoyed the journey! Paige Amundson Scholarships Chairman
YOUTH ACTIVITIES Bulletin #10 - April 2018
I cannot believe how fast this Auxiliary year has gone! It is hard to believe that we are at the time where we have year-end reports due, contest deadlines and soon we will be attending Convention where we will begin another busy and successful year. I have been receiving a lot of questions in regards to the Patriotic Art Explorers contest. Thank you to all of you who have passed along this contest to your schools, communities and members. I am so excited to see all the entries that we receive. Please remember that these must be judged at your local level first, and then forward your first place winner on to district by April 7th for judging. It is strongly encouraged for local Auxiliaries and the Districts to award the 1st-3rd place winners. We want to be sure that we show these students and youth in our community that we appreciate them and encourage them to continue to participate in our programs. It is also great to get the families and parents involved, maybe put together a small reception to recognize all participants at your local Post Home. Talk with your VFW and see if they would like to help participate in this. It is great to get the families together and be able to see how proud these families are of their youth. With yearend reports due, please do not stop promoting and participating in activities with our youth. It is important that we do not stop just because we have all completed our yearend reports. Get out there and recognize our youth still, hand out some R.A.P (Random Acts of Patriotism) cards or coins. Help educate the youth on patriotism and Americanism. Just because the reporting has ended does not mean our efforts should end. When you are working on your year-end reports, please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions on what it is I am looking for on the report. I am looking forward to receiving 100% reporting from all districts and hope that I am able to report 100% to National for all of us! It reflects on all of us and it takes all of us for me to be able to report 100% to National. Remember, “Today’s youth are the future of our nation.” And it takes wonderful people like all of you and a strong organizations like ours to help educate them and mentor them to be the great leaders that each and every one of us are. Always be working with our youth and be sure to try and get the families and parents involved as well when recognizing them, a small thank you and award goes a long ways.
“Continuing our legacy for ALL veterans and their families” Ashley Punches 417 Sunflower Ct. Cannon Falls MN 55009 [email protected] 952-270-3437
Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary
Department of Minnesota