GENERAL ORDERS #9 MARCH 2018

Transcription

1 Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Minnesota GENERAL ORDERS #9 MARCH 2018 "General Orders are to be read at the first meeting following receipt before being filed for reference." 1. Mid-Winter Conference: Thank you to all first time attendees that attended our Annual Mid-Winter Conference. It was great seeing so many new faces. Thank you to all of our Auxiliary Presidents who were there and were recognized. A special thank you to all that brought your generous donations for our Green Shower. It was so heartwarming to see the outpouring for our Hospitalized Veterans. Please stay focused on our Hospital Program, as well as all of our National Programs. 2. Congratulations: Our State Winner for Voice of Democracy was Logan Ledman from the First District and sponsored by Northfield VFW Post #4393 and Auxiliary. It will be an honor, along with Department VFW Commander Rick Bugbee, to escort this young man down the Aisle of Honor in Washington, D.C. on March 5th. Our State Winner for Patriots Pen was Noor Naseer from the 7th District sponsored by Bloomington VFW Post #1296 and Auxiliary. Congratulations to both of you! 3. First Quarter Audits: The quarterly audit for the months of January, February and March shall be conducted during the month of April. An approved, signed copy is to be sent to the Department Treasurer no later than April Election of Officers: No member shall be elected to office unless he/she is in attendance or unless he/she submits a letter in writing stating he/she is willing to be elected and hold office. 5. Membership: We made our second quarter goal for new members! Continue to strive to retain many more members, and thank each of you for attaining this goal. We still have to work on our third quarter goal and we are confident that we can make this one as well. Please see Department Membership Chairman Jamie s bulletin for what her next incentive will be. 6. Legislative Day: Veterans Day on the Hill will be Monday March 12, 2018 in the Rotunda of the MN State Capitol. Please plan on attending as we show our support and interest in Veterans issues. Make an appointment to visit with your Legislators so they can schedule to meet with you. They are always anxious to have constituents from their own districts visit with them at their office. 7. Creative Patriotic Art: The deadline for the Creative Patriotic Art entries is March 31 and the Year- End Reports are due to your District President by March 31. If you receive entries for Creative Patriotic Art after you have completed and turned in your Year-End Reports, please contact your District President or your District Scholarship Chairman with the number of entries you received.

2 8. Year End Reporting: Auxiliary Presidents must have their reports to their District President by March 31, Auxiliaries please do not write No Participation across the front of your reports. I know all of you have done something in every program if you take the time and give it some thought. 9. Delegates/Alternates: Make sure you are filling out these forms correctly. Remember that the Delegates and Alternates for District, Department and National Convention DO NOT have to be the same people. You may elect different Brothers/Sisters to attend each event if you want to. Please make sure you have the right number of Delegates and Alternates based on the size of your Auxiliary. 10. Minnesota Scholarship: A reminder that the Marcella Arnold Nursing Scholarship applications are due to the Department Office by April 1, St. Patrick's Day: Many Posts/Auxiliaries are serving a special meal on this day. If you know of a veteran who would enjoy getting out, make plans so they are able to attend. Wishing all of you and your families a very Happy Easter and may your baskets be filled with love for Our Veterans 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 Department President Marilyn Sheffield Department Secretary

3 DEPARTMENT AND DISTRICT ROSTER ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS March, 2018 Department Past Department President Dorothy Sell, 425 Elm Street N. #144-1, Sauk Centre, MN Auxiliaries 2nd District Auxiliary New Auburn #7266 Treasurer Bernice Polzin, th Street, Gaylord, MN 55334, telephone th District Auxiliaries Admiral Benson #2818 Secretary Irene Miller, 615 East 1st Street, Litchfield, MN 55355, telephone USS Dorchester #8731 Meeting Time changed to the second Thursday at 7:00 p.m. DISTRICT PRESIDENT TESTIMONIALS District Date/Location 1 May 5, Owatonna 2 April 21, Wells 3 None being held 4 None being held 5 April 22, Madison 6 April 14, Sauk Rapids 7 March 24, Fridley 8 Jean Scholar Dedication, Gilbert 9 April 28, Fergus Falls

4 Please join State Commander Rick Bugbee in celebra ng his service to the Department of Minnesota Saturday, March 31, p.m. Social 6:30 p.m. Dinner Willmar V.F.W. Post # Highway 12 E., Willmar, MN HOTEL RESERVATIONS: TBA watch future GOs and Department Website for updates $25 per Ticket Includes Dinner, Fun and maybe a li le roas ng! (Bacon Wrapped Sirloin, Baked Potato, Corn, Salad, Dessert and Beverage) ALL tickets will be PICKED UP at the Door and MUST be PREPAID and RESERVED by March 10th, V.F.W. State Commander s Tes monial 2018 # of Persons attending at $25.00 TOTAL INCLUDED: $ Person to PICK UP TICKETS: Contact Information: Phone Make checks payable to Willmar V.F.W. Post #1639 earmarked Department Commander s Testimonial MAIL to: Willmar VFW Post Attn: CMDR Testimonial 1108 Highway 12 E., Willmar, MN 56201

5 VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS DEPARTMENT OF MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT CONVENTION BANQUET SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2018 Marriott Northwest, Brooklyn Park, MN The Annual Department Convention Banquet will host the Safety Award Winners and naming of the Captain of the All-State Commander Team. This event is open to all members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Auxiliary. BANQUET: Social Hour 6:00 P.M. Officers Line-up 6:45 P.M. Dinner 7:00 P.M. MENU: TBD TICKETS: $27.00 per person Seating will be limited to 250 persons. Ten to a Banquet table. ORDERS MUST BE IN WRITING WITH CHECK ENCLOSED. If we need to split your party, we will try to do it equally. Please note if you need handicapable arrangements or have specific dietary needs. Fill out form below and return to: Dept. of MN V.F.W. Rice Street Station PO Box St Paul, MN MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: Dept. of MN Veterans of Foreign Wars Ticket orders will be stamped with date of receipt and filled in that order. FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED. Tickets will bear a table number and orders will be filled as received. THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP POST AND AUXILIARY DELEGATES TOGETHER IS TO ORDER THE TICKETS AT THE SAME TIME. Tickets will not be mailed out. You may pick up tickets during Registration Hours. PLEASE ORDER EARLY!!! ******************************************************************************************************************* BANQUET RESERVATION Saturday, June 9, :00 P.M. PLEASE RESERVE TICKETS FOR THE ANNUAL DEPARTMENT CONVENTION BANQUET. Enclosed is $ made out to Dept. MN-VFW to cover the cost of $27.00 per person. TICKETS ARE BEING RESERVED BY: ADDRESS: CITY: STATE: ZIP: PHONE # POST/AUXILIARY # DISTRICT # SPECIAL REQUESTS: **Deadline to Order: May 31, 2018**

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7 Complete and return to District Secretary by April 1 Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Minnesota DISTRICT CONVENTION DELEGATES AND ALTERNATES Auxiliary Secretary: Immediately following the election of District Delegates and Alternates, please complete (type or print) and mail to the District Secretary. (Names and addresses are on the reverse side) Due by April 1, If a member registers as an alternate, she must vote as an alternate even though she is replacing a delegate. Elect one delegate and one alternate for every 15 members or fraction thereof in good standing as of the March 31 membership total. AUXILIARY # DISTRICT # AUXILIARY NAME & LOCATION DELEGATES ALTERNATES

8 DISTRICT SECRETARIES Title Name Address City State Zip Telephone District 1 Secretary Sharon Parker 250 Cedar Point Road SE Oronoco MN District 2 Secretary Paty Thrond th Ave Emmons MN District 3 Secretary Ann Krueger 1463 US Hwy 59 Garvin MN District 4 Secretary Judy Mitchell 331 Quehl Ave N Lakeland, MN District 5 Secretary Emily Hansen th Avenue Madison MN District 6 Secretary Corinne Bahe 621 Martin Avenue PO Box 217 Belgrade MN District 7 Secretary Marilyn Sheffield 7625 Scott Avenue N Brooklyn Park MN District 8 Secretary Alma Ojala 426 3rd St Cloquet MN District 9 Secretary Jamie Cassavant th Street SW Red Lake Falls MN

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10 Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Minnesota National Certified Recruiter Trainer March 2018 The VFW Auxiliary National Certified Recruiter Trainer program will officially end on June 30, Since 2014 this program has accomplished amazing things that increased membership and educated our members about recruiting. We are not done yet, however, and I will continue to serve as your NCRT until this program has concluded. Materials for your recruiting efforts will still be available from National and you can request many of these items free of charge. We all like free stuff!!! The essential elements of recruiting remain the same near the end of the year as they do at the beginning of the year. One thing we often hear, however, I am not going to join now because I don t want to pay for a whole year and then have to pay again in a few months. Be proactive if you encounter this situation, offer to waive the admission fee, or pay the dues of the prospective new member for the second year, or just ask for the Per Capita instead of the entire dues amount if they pay and join now! Think outside the box! When recruiting - knowledge is power! Familiarize yourself with all our programs so that when you are speaking with a prospective new member you can hone in on what makes them tick and tie that into something that the VFW Auxiliary actively participates in or promotes. If the potential new member sees some benefits for themselves or family members they are more likely to join AND participate. It has been my privilege to serve as your National Certified Recruiter Trainer since the inception of this program in Thank you to all that participated in one or more of my seminars/classes and if you would like me to come and teach a class on recruiting any time, I will be happy to do so..even after the official ending of this program. While this program is officially ending.. Recruiting NEVER ends in the VFW Auxiliary! Loyally Laurie Dale, NCRT VFW Auxiliary Department of Minnesota

11 Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Minnesota VETERANS & FAMILY SUPPORT Bulletin #9 March 2018 The VFW Veterans and Military Support Programs (VMS) recapped the below 2018 data: Sport Clips Help a Hero Scholarship: 10 scholarships awarded for a total of $22, Unmet Needs (financial assistance program): 1,511 grants provided for a total of $521, Operation Uplink : 320 virtual pins provided to service members. Military Assistance Program (MAP): 24 grants provided and 12,531 involved in the Adopt-a- Unit (AAU) program. In total, 18,534 Veterans, military members, and their families were supported through the VMS program in January alone. The numbers for February were not yet available by the time this went to print. Nonetheless, the VFW and VFW Auxiliary are huge contributors and champions for this effort. Well done! Continue to keep the momentum going. This demonstrates the good work being done for our heroes, their families, and the community. Donations are welcomed under the VMS program by mailing funds to the VFW and earmarked Veterans and Military Support. This can be done by going online: or sending checks to: VFW National Headquarters Attn: Veterans and Military Support (VMS) 406 W. 34 th St. 9 th Fl. Kansas City, MO 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 Phone: frankiebill@msn.com

12 Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Minnesota Brothers & Sisters, AMERICANISM March Bulletin #9 The VFW Smart/Maher VFW National Citizenship Education Teacher Awards are to recognize classroom teachers for promoting patriotic education. Congratulations to Grade K-5 Winner Jessica Ensminger of Hopkins #425; Grade 6-8 Winner Marc Reynolds of Wadena #3922 and Grade 9-12 Winner Amanda Adams of South St. Paul #295. We are all proud of your hard work and dedication. Did your Auxiliary or District host a FAMILY FREEDOM FESTIVAL? If so, please copy your Flyer and Press Release of your Event and mail to me at address below. Those Auxiliaries hosting an event will be put into a drawing for a special gift from me. The Tool Kit pages are on our MN VFW Auxiliary website and look under Forms then look under Americanism. The POW/MIA Remembrance Table Ceremony is attached for your use at a meeting, community event, school or local government office. Ask if you could set up a Table at your Public Library. Use MN Won t Forget POW/MIA as a guide to raising awareness of this issue at and invest your time in the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, the organization responsible for fulfilling our nation s obligation by maximizing the number of missing personnel accounted for while ensuring timely, accurate information provided to their families at If you attended the MN Mid-Winter Conference in January you witnessed a presentation during my report offering the Deployed Family Military Child Table. Please read and consider using the attached description to set this up. We can never forget that families are part of any deployment. It s never too late to distribute Respect for Flag Citations to businesses and families you witness showing patriotism through displaying the U.S. or POW/MIA Flags or other displays of pride in our Country through Support Our Troops signage or Red, White & Blue décor. National Ambassador Diana Rudeen and I wish you the best on your Year End Reports. Please take time to recall all your projects for Americanism and report every task and letter and purchase and contest. Forward them to your District President by March 31 st. I am proud of all our Auxiliary accomplishments. In Patriotism, Carol Kratz / MN Dept Americanism Chairman ckratz2003@comcast.net Ph

13 April is the Month of the Military Child. This awareness month was established to underscore the important role children play in the Armed Forces community. There are approximately 2 million military children, ranging in ages from newborn to 18 years old; 1.3 million military children are school-aged. This is just one way you could honor the family s bravery, resilience and their sacrifice. Now, let s set the Deployed Family Military Child Table: The potted flowering plant symbolizes that a military child flowers and grows wherever they are planted. Military resilience is a big part of this. The hand spade recognizes that the family may be transplanted to a new place in the world at a moment s notice. Many times the family moves closer to family during a deployment for help and support, or, are left alone in a community that does not even know or understand a deployment. The birthday hat, the unlit candles, a baseball cap, and a jump rope for the school jump rope contest represent all the special community events that are missed by the service member that is deployed. But the family will do their best to enjoy these events even though there is someone special that cannot attend. Games for game night, a library book to be read, a Christmas ornament to be hung, a valentine bag to fill these symbolize some of the family occasions that will continue on at home but with an empty chair. The family photo shows a child with their uniformed parent which demonstrates our country s strength. The child is carrying his parent s bag representing the weight of a deployment on the whole family. The white bible represents the special occasions within the faith based family, that are missed during a year of deployment. The final touch is the American Flag. Our Country s flag reminds us that military families are united in their commitment to national service, at home or away, no matter the sacrifice. In closing, let this table remind us all that when one parent deploys the whole family deploys. We, as the VFW Auxiliary, need to always remember the purpose of our organization that is to care for our veterans, currently serving military and their families. We, as a good neighbor, as a friend, as a citizen; need to be there to assist in any way that we can. Remember the words of the Air Force Officer Please take care of my family. We can never forget

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15 Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Minnesota CHIEF OF STAFF/EXTENSION MARCH BULLETIN #8 This month I want to share the Blog that National Chief of Staff Jane Ziebarth shared on the National VFW Auxiliary website in its entirety. Some are not online or using the website as a tool and I want to make sure that this message is shared with everyone in the Department of Minnesota. Please take time to read and share this information. Auxiliary Health Check Eight (8) Traits of a Healthy Auxiliary Have you implemented a program to ensure your Auxiliary achieves and maintains good health? Have you implemented a mentoring program for new and tenured members? Have you researched and used the numerous materials located on the Programs & Publicity Resources webpage to achieve good health? If you answered no to any of these questions, why? Any day is a good day to research the tools available and bring suggestions on how to incorporate into your monthly meeting routine. The responsibility of sharing materials does not just remain with your Auxiliary s Officers; YOU are also encouraged to engage in keeping your fellow members informed. To assist in achieving good health, the following materials are an example of what is available: 5 Essentials of an Auxiliary Card VFW Auxiliary Mentoring Guide: Relationship Building for the Future VFW Auxiliary Acronyms and Common Terminology Welcome to the VFW Auxiliary Card VFW Auxiliary Sample Meeting Agenda Auxiliary Meeting Checklist (for the Auxiliary President) Healthy Communication Phone/Text Tree Membership remains a significant source to the success of an Auxiliary and maintaining good health. New member engagement is a critical component to retaining a member. Resources and best practices are available to assist local Auxiliary Officers in welcoming new members. A new member is an engaged member, but someone who likely needs an orientation to the VFW and Auxiliary. It s best to hand the New Member Packet to them personally at a meeting or social gathering, but it can be mailed as well.

16 While a strong focus is made making sure our new members receive up-to-date information and instructions, there may be a continuous member that hasn t attended in quite some time that could reap value from this same type of information. Communication is key; the more we communicate, the more engaged our members will be. Below are eight (8) traits of a healthy Auxiliary: Commitment A strong commitment to the Auxiliary provides a base of volunteers and the opportunity to assist those in need. Appreciation Reward your members with a simple gesture of thanks and strengthen the bond a volunteer has to the Auxiliary. Focus on the strength of each other and not the faults. Time Recognize the value of a volunteer s time. Some individuals may have more time available to volunteer but that does not mean those with limited time are not valued. Enjoy what time is available to meet; work together and create an opportunity to socialize. Communication A member is more likely to volunteer and invest the time necessary to work on a project if there is open communication and they are able to share their thoughts. Remember that very individual s opinion matters. Share If activities and tasks can be shared, it can save time, alleviate stress, bring individuals together for a common cause and bring happiness to all involved. Common Interests The more the members have in common, the more they are apt to work together, develop common goals, find opportunities to get together and plan for future projects. Serve Others When volunteers serve others, they develop a sense of pride and appreciation for what they and your Auxiliary has done for others. Distraction and Good Health While we like to think our Auxiliary will always be healthy, we understand we are not problem-free and there may be unpleasant distractions. Please do not let this situation overcome the positives that your Auxiliary possesses. Discuss and come up with a solution. An unhealthy Auxiliary often leads to a decline in meeting attendance, membership and volunteer opportunities. Do not let this happen to your Auxiliary! My challenge for you this month is to compliment three people every day. Jane Ziebarth Please remember the deadlines for awards for the Extension Program. I still need submissions/ideas so that I can make the deadlines set. Read your National and Department Program Books for these awards. Laurie A. Dale, Chief of Staff Department of Minnesota lakyllodale@yahoo.com

17 Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Minnesota HOSPITAL Bulletin #9 - March 2018 March 31 st is the end of the Hospital Program year, so you still have a couple of weeks to finish up those last projects so you can report them on your Year End reports. You must have your reports to your District Presidents by March 31 st. I found this very interesting idea from our National Hospital Ambassador, Janice Holm. It might seem early to think about spring activities, but in just a few weeks grass will be growing, baby birds will be chirping and flowers will be blooming. Consider buying a couple of bird feeders, bird food and a Bird Identification book for the patients. Holidays are always a great time to make a special gift for the patients, Daylight Savings Times begins March 11 th, 1 st Day of Spring is March 20 th, St Patrick s Day is March 17 th. Plan a trip to a park, have a picnic and watch the children play. 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. Fergus Falls VH had their 20 th Annual Venison Dinner an February 2 nd which was provided by the VFW and Cooties. The meal was enjoyed by the Veterans and guests. On February 14 th there will be a Sweetheart Lunch and afterwards music by Jeff Oakland. Treats will be given after the music. The recreation staff put together their own Olympics at FFVH. A couple of the events are a jigsaw puzzle marathon, and a Olympics pool tournament. Celia Piippo, Fergus Falls VH Chairman Mpls. Veterans Home has lots of events planned for February for the residents around Valentine s Day, venison dinner etc. BEFORE TAKING OUT DONATIONS TO THE MINNEAPOLIS VETERANS HOME YOU MUST CALL EITHER SANDY or ERIN FOR APPROVAL. This is per Sandy and Erin on January 31, Too much time is spent by the staff sorting out donations they definitely cannot use and should not be receiving. Doris Anderson, Mpls. Veterans Home Chairman

18 I cannot find reasonably priced prepaid phone calling cards. They d really like minute ones, but the least I find are 1000 minute at $34 plus for each. More Auxiliary sponsored events like bingo are always so much appreciated also. VA Clinics, Alexandria, Montevidio, & Brainerd need are Newspaper subsricptions, Grocery Gift Cards and Bus Ride Passes Darlene Jackson, St. Cloud VA We would like to mention that we are looking for volunteers to help serve coffee and bake cookies at the Luverne Veterans Home. We do coffee every month from the 11 th to the 20 th of each month and bake cookies 2 months then off 1 month. Need to be at the Home by 2:15 and are usually done with cleanup by 3:30. Cookies we need to be there by 1:00 p.m., then we usually stay and do the coffee hour also. If interested call either Lois Novosad or Ann Krueger Lois Novosad & Ann Krueger, Luverne Veterans Home At the Fargo VA Hospital we need quilts, 60 X 80 is the size we need more then anything else. When purchasing material please keep in mind that 95% of our patients are male. If you would like to donate personal care items, please give me a call first, to ensure it is something we use at the Fargo facility. Karen Haugen, Fargo VA Chairman The time you spend making gifts, visiting with the patients, raising money so we can buy items for them doesn t go unnoticed.i can never Thank you enough. If you have not been to a facility to hand out these gifts, I cannot tell you how much you are appreciated. On behalf of our Hospitalized Veterans THANK YOU! Karen Haugen Department Hospital Chairman th St S. Moorhead, MN karenhaugen@midco.net Catch the Dream for Our Veterans by Continuing our legacy for all veterans and their families

19 Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Minnesota LEGISLATIVE Bulletin #9 - March 2018 We have the Veterans Day on the Hill March 12th 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 Free Pre Rally Breakfast and Info 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. (5th Floor Veterans Service Building) Rally in the State Capitol Rotunda 10:00 a.m. -11:00 a.m. Regional Rooms for Lawmakers 12:00-2:00 p.m. More information can be found on the DAVMN.ORG site Now is the time more than ever to get involved. Expand Caregiver Benefits! Background: Throughout history, there has been a need to care for veterans who have injuries which prevent them from living independently, without the assistance of others. Caregivers, the overwhelming majority of whom are family members, put their lives and careers on hold, often accepting great emotional and financial burdens to ensure their veterans have a meaningful quality of life and stay in their homes instead of having to receive institutional nursing home care. The family caregivers of Post-9/11 veterans are eligible for comprehensive support to include a living stipend to alleviate the financial burden of being a full-time caregiver. Unfortunately, veterans of previous eras including World War II, Korea, Vietnam and the Gulf War are unjustifiably denied eligibility simply based on the era in which they served. The Military and Veteran Caregiver Services Improvement Act of 2017 would correct this inequity by expanding eligibility for the Caregivers Program to veterans of all generations. Take Action: Contact your members of Congress and tell them to pass the The Military and Veteran Caregiver Services Improvement Act of Let them know that Caregivers of previous era veterans currently receive virtually nothing, leading to desperate hardships for them and their families. The fact that caregivers of veterans of many conflicts are excluded from the full complement of program benefits implies that their service and sacrifices are not as significant, and we believe this must change immediately. Please remember Reports are coming due and if you have questions do not hesitate to reach out to me Department of Minnesota Chair Tracy McReynolds Trosbacka@yahoo.com

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21 Membership & Leadership ] amie Cassavant, Department of Minnesota Chairman 218,289,0865 billsgrillin@gmail.com March, 2018 f * t,,...8"_,;jl ;; Dear Auxiliary Members: Mid, Winter has come and gone and it was a great weekend to learn something new, to celebrate our youth at the Voice of Democracy and Patriot's Pen Awards Ceremony. It was a wonderful opportunity to talk with these young men and women and their families - to thank them for their patriotism and their respect & honor shown to our veterans. Membership Drawings were done and the checks were mailed to the auxiliaries. Check out the drawings listed on this page. Certificates will be handed out at June Convention. I congratulate ALL the Auxiliaries for the dedication each of you have for our American Heroes and their families. A lso, thank you for the work you do for our organization each & everyday to help our veterans, military, families and our communities. MID~WINTER DRAWINGS DEPARTMENT OF MINNESOTA AUXILIARY AWARD FALL CONFERENCE DRAWING: $50 DRAWING- 806 Princeton $25 DRAWING Ivanhoe $25 DRAWING Watkins DEPARTMENT OF MINNESOTA 100% DRAWING: ] amie Cassavant DEADLINE DATES! Auxiliaries that reach 100% by MAY 25, 2018 before June Convention will go into a drawing for one ( 1) $50 award and two (2) $25 awards.! All Auxiliaries that qualify at 100% will go into a BONUS DRAWING to be held at the June 2018 Department Convention for $100. $50 DRAWING Roseau $25 DRAWING Cannon Falls $25 DRAWING Kelleher DEPARTMENT OF MINNESOTA NEW YEAR'S SPECIAL DRAWING:! Auxiliaries that reach at least 96% (but less than 100%) by May 25, 2018 will go into a DRAWING to be held at the June 2018 Department Convention for Five (5) $10 awards. $100 DRAWING Arlington $50 DRAWING Columbia Heights $50 DRAWING Bloomington

22 their dedication to creating the most powerful national network of voices on behalf of veterans, active-duty service members, and their families. r March 1-31 Auxiliaries that add 2 or more I NEW MEMBERS will go into a drawing for 1 $50 award AND Auxiliaries that sign up 2 or more REJOIN members will go into a drawing for _1.$~ ~~~ - ONLINE RESOURCES MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM AWARD FORMS - Catch Five Pin Member Recruiter Award National Membership Achievement Award MEMBERSHIP RECRUITMENT & RETENTION TOOLS INCLUDE: Membership Engagement Packet - NEW PLUS NUMEROUS OTHER TOOLS!!! CHECK OUT!!! MEMBERSHIP MOMENT SHEET Recognizing Your Auxiliary's Members A simple "thank you" can go a long w ay. Recognizing your members' contributions to your VFW Auxiliary's success is the first step to positive membership retention. Auxiliary members are volunteers who juggle multiple daily responsibilities and still manage to give their time and/or membership dues to support the efforts of the Auxiliary. Show them you appreciate "SURE-FIRE" WAYS TO RECOGNIZE MEMBERS: Send press releases to newspapers when groups of new members join; include photos when possible. In smaller communities, there are likely opportunities to get members' names and photographs in the local paper when they join. A group photo of a number of new members holding their membership applications or cards might very well be picked up by a local paper in the community where the members live or work. Feature a "Member of the Month" in your Auxiliary correspondence. Highlighting an individual member on a regular basis is one way to ensure that members who are featured will renew, as well as getting members who would like to be featured to renew. Be sure that the "members of the month" are not only current or past Auxiliary leaders. It is important to also highlight members who support the Auxiliary by paying their dues on time and participating at a level that is comfortable for them. Host a member appreciation event at least once a year. Organizing a member appreciation event helps your Auxiliary to recognize and thank members who have participated in its activities and events, and championed our organization's mission. Treat each other with respect and humility. As Auxiliary members, we value the strengths, experiences and perspectives of others, and we also recognize our own limitations. By treating each other with respect, we show our appreciation and thanks for the special gifts, talents and contributions of every individual within the VFW Auxiliary family.

23 Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Minnesota SCHOLARSHIPS Bulletin #9 - March 2018 The month of March is upon us. The visions of shamrocks make me think of luck. I want to say thank you to all of you busy auxiliary members. I am LUCKY that you work so hard to promote the Scholarships Program to our youth. I am LUCKY that you work side by side with your VFW Post members to promote, collect, judge and recognize the winners of the Voice of Democracy and Patriots Pen entrants. I love going to the banquet at Mid-Winter to find out who the nine district winners are. This year was so much fun as the Auxiliary Scholarships Chairman. I was LUCKY that Don Nix and I got to greet every family and welcome them to our convention. I loved that we got to speak with them, Commander Rick and President Gail were able to visit them and hand out some gifts to them. I was LUCKY to experience the energy in that room with all the young men and women and their parents talking like they were old friends. I loved that the night was focused on them and education. I was LUCKY to being able to look out and see all the proud families. I was LUCKY that I was seated next to the Patriots Pen winner Noor Naseer. She was a quiet, friendly young lady, who was nervous to stand up in front of everyone and read her winning essay. I may not have helped her nerves when she asked me how many people were seated out there. I told her just less than 500. Her eyes got really big and she said really? I laughed and said no, only a couple of hundred. She did an awesome job writing and reading her essay. I was LUCKY to be able to congratulate our Voice of Democracy winner Logan Ledman. We were all LUCKY to hear his presentation of his essay. Minnesota will be on pins and needles in March when Commander Rick and President Gail escort him to Washington, D.C. for the National Voice of Democracy Event. He has an amazing essay and will go far! Best of LUCK Logan! I was LUCKY that I was able to give out our first Marcella Arnold Nursing Scholarship names. The winners were notified and the checks were sent to the schools they are attending. Congratulations and good luck to the winners. The recipients were: Tiffany Ahahi, Crookston, $750 Amy Britt, Walnut Grove, $500 Stacy Ann Buschmann-Ford, Farmington, $750 Emily Cagle, Moose Lake, $500 Kristin Tews, Mankato, $500 We are coming to the end of our Scholarships for the year. The Creative Patriotic Art Contest is our last one. There is one LUCKY Student who will be our winner and sent off to National for judging. I am always amazed at the creativity of our youth. Please keep promoting this contest. The deadline is March 31 to your local auxiliary. Let s go out with a bang in the Scholarships Program this year. I was LUCKY to have been chosen as National Scholarship Chairman this year. I have been LUCKY hearing from so many of you from all parts of Minnesota. I hope the rest of the year is as amazing as you all are! Paige Amundson National Scholarships Chairman

24 Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Minnesota YOUTH ACTIVITIES Bulletin #9 - March 2018 As we are getting near the time to fill out our year end reports, I wanted to give some more detail on two items that are easy to accomplish and you still have time! When you are completing year end reports, please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions you may have! My contact information is noted below. Random Acts of Patriotism (R.A.P.) R.A.P. is geared toward elementary age and younger children as a fun way to encourage and reward patriotism. If a child is seen thanking a veteran, properly placing their hand on their heart during the Pledge of Allegiance or involved in some other activity that promotes patriotism, we suggest giving them a R.A.P. card and/or coin. Always remember it is a good idea to introduce yourself to the adult supervising the young child and ask permission to present the card or coin to the child. Have a local high school football game in your town? Head out to the game and those youth who are standing saluting the flag during the National Anthem should be handed a R.A.P coin or card! R.A.P. cards can be downloaded for free under the Member Login and then scroll to the bottom of the page once you are logged in and you will see Program & Publicity Resources which will have all the program resources and the R.A.P cards for download (free) are under Youth Activities. R.A.P. coins can be ordered from the VFW Store. Patriotic Art Explorers - MN ONLY (not a national program) This is an art contest for grades 6 th 8 th and is a MN only contest. I strongly encourage you to get out there and begin providing this information to the schools and churches so that students can begin brainstorming and planning to participate. This year s theme is The Bald Eagle Art pieces should be 2-dimensional and no larger than 11 x 17 (portrait or landscape) and no thicker than 1/4 of an inch. All work should be completed in pencil, crayon, paint, charcoal, marker and the like. A short description of the artwork is to be included. No digital artwork will be accepted. Entries will be judged on theme and technique. Entries to the Auxiliaries ARE due by March 31 st, then to the District by April 7 th and then to Department by April 15 th. Prizes will be awarded at Department level for 1 st, 2 nd and 3 rd. The Entry form is available on the MN Department Auxiliary website. Get these forms out to the Youth Activities Chair in your Auxiliary and begin informing the schools, youth groups and churches on this great program! I want to see a lot of entries sent in to me at Department! Continuing our legacy for ALL veterans and their families Ashley Punches 417 Sunflower Ct. Cannon Falls MN ashley.punches@gmail.com