Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Minnesota GENERAL ORDERS #8 FEBRUARY 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 #85 cancelled the Charter for St. Michael-Albertville Auxiliary #5973 upon recommendation of the Department President. 2. Thank you to all members who were able to attend our Mid-Winter Conference. I hope you all enjoyed the meeting. If you have any ideas that you would like us to try, please contact me or the Department Office. It was a pleasure to have Laurie Dale, our National District 21 Council Member as our National Representative. We can learn a lot from our National Representatives. 3. HOSPITAL: The Hospital Board Meeting was very informative letting us know what is needed at the many different facilities across Minnesota. It helps us to hear from all of our representatives from the VA Medical Centers and Minnesota Veterans Homes. When making your donations, PLEASE focus on our Hospitalized Veterans. Thank you to Department Hospital Board Chairman Karen Haugen and Hospital Board Secretary Jane Ziebarth for all the effort you put in for this meeting to be successful. On Valentines' Day, attach a Buddy Poppy to a special card and remember our veterans that are in homes and hospitals and right there you participated in two (2) programs. 4. YOUTH ACTIVITIES: The deadline for the Patriotic Art Explorers Contest entries to the Auxiliary is March 31st. This is for any Minnesota students in Grades 6-8. The theme for 2017-2018 is The Bald Eagle. If you have any questions regarding this program, please contact Department Chairman Ashley Punches. 5. YEAR-END REPORTS: It is soon approaching! Please adhere to all deadlines. Try getting more of your members involved in filling the out as one may remember things that have been forgotten or overlooked. Get all the credit your Auxiliary deserves! 6. VETERANS AND FAMILY SUPPORT: The Buddy Poppy displays brought to Mid-winter were great. Thank you to all that participated. I am sure once again Minnesota will bring some ribbons home. With the artic weather that we have had, there are probably many things that we can help our veterans with. See if any veterans need snow removed, getting out to get groceries or need help getting to appointments. There are many ways to participate in this program.
7. SCHOLARSHIPS: Congratulations to the nine (9) district winners for the Voice of Democracy and Patriot s Pen contests. Thank you to the VFW Posts and Auxiliaries who went out and promoted these scholarship programs. Each of these young people who submitted an entry is a winner. I look forward to going to Washington, D.C. in March with Department VFW Commander Rick Bugbee and our Minnesota winner. It will be a great honor to walk down the aisle with each one of them. Watch for the deadlines in Department Chairman Paige Amundson's bulletins for the Continuing Education Scholarship and Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest. 8. MEMBERSHIP: Where does your Auxiliary stand with membership? It is time to make those important "personal contacts" with those members who have not paid their dues. Make sure those members know how important their membership is to our organization. Without our membership, we can't support our programs!! 9. MID-YEAR CONFERENCE: The National Mid-Year Conference will be in Nashville, TN on February 8-11, 2018. 10. YEAR-END REPORTS: Auxiliary Presidents must have the Year-End reports to their District President by March 31 and District Chairmen must have their reports to the Department Chairmen by April 15. 11. OFFICE CLOSED: The Department VFW Auxiliary HQ Office will be closed on Monday, February 19 for President's Day. Happy Valentine's Day! For those of you who have been ill or have loved ones who are ill, we wish all a speedy recovery. 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
DEPARTMENT AND DISTRICT ROSTER ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS February, 2018 Department Hospital Board Marilyn Harder-Brandt, 260 Osceola Avenue S., #205, St. Paul, MN 55102 Auxiliaries 5th District Auxiliary Henning-Erickson #380 Meeting time changed to 5:30 p.m. 6th District Auxiliary Northern #3839 Secretary/Treasurer Katherine Blasing, 2218 32nd Avenue SW, Pine River, MN 56474, telephone 218-587-3437 7th District Auxiliary Everett McClay #1296 President Lois Hagstrom, 9501 Garfield Avenue S., Unit #303, Bloomington, MN 55420, telephone 952-884-5556 OFFICE CLOSED Presidents' Day - February 19, 2018
Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Minnesota Treasurer s Tips & Training February 2018 MEMBERSHIP CARDS Taking approximately 12 weeks to receive. If someone needs a card sooner, please print a temporary card from MALTA or have them take a screen shot of their card on their cell phone! TRANSFERRING MEMBERS ALL transfers require Investigating Committee signatures and must be voted on by the members at a regular meeting put the Election Date on the application. DATE OF BIRTH EVERY application requires the DOB of the member or it cannot be processed. CALCULATE LIFE MEMBERSHIP FEES- In order to assess the correct Life Membership Fee, use the calendar year we are in and subtract the year the member was born. 2018-1969 = 49; therefore, Life dues would be $196. Don t worry about the actual month or date of their birthday. CHECKS FOR DUES Please write one check for Per Capita ($10 per member). We DO NOT need separate checks for Department & National. National takes money using an EFT right out of our Department Account for dues that we process in the Department Office. Checks made out to National will have to be returned. CHECKS FOR DONATIONS- When sending donations through the Department Auxiliary Office, PLEASE WRITE ONE CHECK. We don t need separate checks for CAR, Health & Happiness, Legislative, President s Project, etc. MEMBERSHIP SUMMARY REPORTS If you are processing dues on MALTA for your Auxiliary we DO NOT need a copy of your Membership Summary in the Department Office. 990 N E-POSTCARDS We still need about 3 dozen auxiliaries to send in their 990N e-postcard confirmations. District Presidents are receiving the list to follow up. Laurie Dale, Treasurer Department of MN VFW Auxiliary treasurer@vfwamn.org 651-291-1759
Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Minnesota VETERANS & FAMILY SUPPORT Bulletin #8 February 2018 The VFW Veterans and Military Support Programs recently shared data in support of one of its sub-programs, Unmet Needs. This is outstanding information! Please share the following: During the 2016/17 fiscal year, a new record for financial and disaster assistance grants was awarded with more than $2 million and impacted close to 900 service members, Veterans, and their families. The previous year s record was $550,000 helping 184 families. In the last year alone, donations have increased financially over 263% and aided more than 700 families! Since September 2017, the program offered financial grants to 1,667 Veterans totaling more than $1.2 million. Following the 2017 autumnal natural disasters (Hurricanes: Harvey, Irma, and Maria and the California wildfires), the VFW provided disaster assistance grants to 1,198 impacted Veterans, service members, and their families, which surpassed $426,500 in aid. An estimated $786,000 for approximately 2,400 applicants is expected before the close of the fiscal year. From its inception in 2004, the VFW has provided over $9 million and financial grants to 6,399 service members, Veterans, and their families. Given the overwhelming support and generous donations, recent changes have been announced to the Unmet Needs program. Qualified applicants will be awarded financial grants up to $1,500. Said applicants discharged prior to September 11, 2001 must provide VA compensation as part of their fixed income. Until further notice, disaster assistance grants have been suspended. The VFW National Home for Children is looking for some extra love and support. Military and Veteran families need help rebuilding a once in a lifetime opportunity. As Auxiliary members, we can help with this connection. Homes are ready for those hurting families in need of a home. Enclosed is a video link (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzh6atkhvsm) which captures a former resident and her family living at the VFW National Home for Children through the military service of her grandfather. No government funding is provided, but rather financed through private donations, such as organizations like the VFW Auxiliary. Please direct donations to the VFW National Home for Children (either online: http://www.vfwnationalhome.org/donate or by calling: 866.483.9642) and help a hurting family.
Department of Minnesota Overstock Notice!!! We have a surplus of layettes waiting to be given to expecting mothers and growing families available at the Department of Minnesota, VFW Auxiliary office headquarters. Should you be contacted to help a military family and would like a pre-made layette, please contact us! Before making up a layette at your local Auxiliary, the Department Office has close to 20 layettes available. Reach out to your local armory, military installation, church groups, or other community-based organizations and ask if there are any families in need of layettes. We appreciate the layette donations, but would love to see them given to a proper home. This is Minnesota designated program only. 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: frankiebill@msn.com
From Diana Rudeen - Natl Americanism Ambassador/Patriotic Instructor Flag Education Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a beautiful holiday season. Now is the time to re-energize and focus on a very important program goal which is Flag Education. Flag Etiquette The American Flag has a long history, and the members of our organization have spent more than one hundred years defending and honoring our nation s most iconic symbol of freedom. Whether you re looking for the historic details of how the U.S. Flag came to be, or the rules and regulations that encompass her daily flight, we re here to ensure you can find the information you need. Displaying the Flag On Same Staff U.S. Flag at peak, above any other flag. Grouped U.S. Flag goes to its own right. Flags of other nations are flown at same height. Marching U.S. Flag to marchers right (observer s left). On Speaker s Platform When displayed with a speaker s platform, the Flag must be above and behind the speaker. If mounted on a staff it is on the speaker s right. Decoration Never use the Flag for decoration. Use bunting with blue on top, then white, red. Salute All persons present in uniform should render the military salute. Members of the armed forces and veterans who are present but not in uniform may render the military salute. All other persons present should face the Flag and stand at attention with their right hand over the heart, or if applicable, remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Over a Street Union (stars) face north or east depending on the direction of the street. Half Staff On special days, the Flag may be flown at half-staff. On Memorial Day it is flown at half-staff until noon and then raised. Special Rules Do not let the Flag touch the ground. Do not fly Flag upside down unless there is an emergency. Do not carry the Flag flat, or carry things in it. Do not use the Flag as clothing. Do not store the Flag where it can get dirty. Do not use it as a cover.
Do not fasten it or tie it back. Always allow it to fall free. Do not draw on, or otherwise mark the Flag. Illumination Guidelines Per Federal Flag Code, Section 2, paragraph (a), it is the universal custom to display the Flag only from sunrise to sunset on buildings and on stationary flagstaffs in the open. However, when a patriotic effect is desired, the Flag may be displayed twenty-four hours a day if properly illuminated during the hours of darkness. Flag Disposal 1. The Flag should be folded in its customary manner. 2. It is important that the fire be fairly large and of sufficient intensity to ensure complete burning of the Flag. 3. Place the Flag on the fire. 4. The individual(s) can come to attention, salute the Flag, recite the Pledge of Allegiance and have a brief period of silent reflection. 5. After the Flag is completely consumed, the fire should then be safely extinguished and the ashes buried. 6. Please make sure you are conforming to local/state fire codes or ordinances. Note: Please contact your local VFW Post if you d like assistance or more information on proper Flag disposal. Official U.S. Flag Code Public Law 94-344, known as the Federal Flag Code, contains rules for handling and displaying the U.S. Flag. While the federal code contains no penalties for misusing the Flag, states have their own Flag codes and may impose penalties. The language of the federal code makes clear that the Flag is a living symbol. In response to a Supreme Court decision which held that a state law prohibiting Flag burning was unconstitutional, Congress enacted the Flag Protection Act in 1989. It provides that anyone who knowingly desecrates the Flag may be fined and/or imprisoned for up to one year. However, this law was challenged by the Supreme Court in a 1990 decision that the Flag Protection Act violates the First Amendment free speech protections. Access the U.S. Flag Code Guide. Order of Precedence The order of precedence when displaying military flags together is Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard.
Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Minnesota HOSPITAL Bulletin #8 - February 2018 The week of February 12 th - 16 th is National Salute To Veterans week. This is our opportunity to say thank you to the more than 98,000 veterans who are cared for every day in a VA facility. The purpose of the program is to: Pay Tribute and express appreciation to Veterans, Increase community awareness of the role of the VA medical center, Encourage citizens to visit hospitalized Veterans and to become involved as volunteers. Valentine s Day is almost here; recruit a group of children, a local Day Care, a Kindergarten class, or a Sunday school class to help you decorate Valentines to pass out at a local home. Next month the entries for the Outstanding Hospital Volunteer is due to me, the deadline is March 1. We all know someone that deserves this award. Don t forget your Year End Reports! Brag about what your Auxiliary has done. Your Auxiliary deserves to be recognized for all they have done. I am excited to read all that you have been doing this past year. Catch the Dream for Our Veterans by Continuing our legacy for all veterans and their families Karen Haugen Department Hospital Chairman 1810 17 th St S. Moorhead, MN 56560 701.367.1518 karenhaugen@midco.net
Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Minnesota LEGISLATIVE Bulletin #8 - February 2018 Today, after months of pressure by the VFW and other veteran, military and family service organizations, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) reduced copayments for the new TRICARE Select plan. DHA initially announced the new copay concept and costs, which will replace the percent-of-services-used model in place under TRICARE Standard and Extra, in the Interim Final Rule released in September. The new copay scale released today shows a reduction in the cost of Group A primary care visits from $27 to $21 for active-duty family members, and from $35 to $28 for retirees. Group A beneficiaries are those who were in uniform or retired prior to the Jan. 1, 2018, implementation date. This is HUGE! Veterans Legislation Roundup: Congress recently passed three pieces of legislation supported by the VFW, these are huge pieces. S.1393 Amends existing law in order to allow VA physicians and nurse practitioners to provide Medicals certifications to veterans who currently operate or who wish to operate commercial vehicles. Passed by House and Senate and is on its way to the President. S.925 passed by the Senate, amends Title 38 to improve the ability of licensed health care professionals employed by VA to treat veterans via telemedicine at any location in any state, regardless of where the professional and patient are located H.R.4323 passed by the House, directs the National Science Foundation (NSF) to promote veteran involvement in STEM education, computer science, and scientific research by increasing outreach to veterans and by expanding certain NSF scholarships, grants and fellowship opportunities to veterans and military families. We have had quite a few success stories in 2017 and a BIG thank you goes out to each and every one of you. We, and they couldn t do it without each and every one of you. Let me know if I can be of any assistance, after all we are a TEAM and if I don t have the answers I will get them. Tracy McReynolds Department of Minnesota Chair Trosbacka@yahoo.com 651-307-2619
1 P a g e Membership & Leadership Tracking Sheet Minnesota M&Ms Family Circle 2017-2018 1. Was your VFW Auxiliary Installation Report received at National Headquarters by July 31, 2017? Yes No 2. Were your VFW Auxiliary Officers dues paid by December 31, 2017? Name of Auxiliary President: Please check Life Member OR Annual Dues Life Member Annual Dues Date Paid to National: Name of Auxiliary Treasurer: Please check Life Member OR Annual Dues Life Member Annual Dues Date Paid to National: Name of Auxiliary Secretary: Please check Life Member OR Annual Dues Life Member Annual Dues Date Paid to National: 3. List your VFW Auxiliary members (page 2) that attended at least one training session put on by our National Certified Recruiter Trainer Laurie Dale AND list the date and place of the training Training Date: Training Place: 4. List your VFW Auxiliary members (page 2) that attended a MALTA School of Instruction AND list the date and place of the training? ATS (Auxiliary Training Session) June, 2017 Number of Attendees: AND/OR District Number School of Instruction: Date(s) of District MALTA School of Instruction: Number of Attendees: AND/OR Department MALTA Training at Fall Conference (September, 2017) Number of Attendees: Auxiliary Treasurer Signature:
MEMBER ATTENDEE LIST Question #3: Auxiliary Members attending Recruiter/Trainer Session by Laurie Dale 1. 6. 2. 7. 3. 8. 4. 9. 5. 10. Question #4: Auxiliary Members attending MALTA School of Instruction by Laurie Dale at: ATS June, 2017 1. 6. 2. 7. 3. 8. 4. 9. 5. 10. Auxiliary Members attending MALTA School of Instruction by Laurie Dale at: District Mtg Date(s),, 1. 6. 2. 7. 3. 8. 4. 9. 5. 10. Auxiliary Members attending MALTA School of Instruction Laurie Dale at: Department Fall Conference September, 2017 Other Date(s) if needed:,, 1. 6. 2. 7. 3. 8. 4. 9. 5. 10. To be a part of the Minnesota M&Ms Family Circle, please complete the Tracking Sheet (page 1) and Member Attendee List (page 2) and email OR mail pages to: Jamie Cassavant 17757 220 th St SW, Red Lake Falls MN 56750 billsgrillin@gmail.com Questions please call me at: 218-289-0865 2 P a g e
Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Minnesota SCHOLARSHIPS FEBRUARY 2018 - BULLETIN # 8 Can it already be February? Time sure does fly. We are coming down to the last of the Scholarship opportunities. I hope that everyone has been telling all their family and friends about our awesome scholarships. There is an opportunity for all ages to apply and get some financial help. I am hoping that all the year-end reports will show many creative ideas and ways you have promoted this program. Please do not put "did not participate or not applicable" on these reports. This is an easy program to promote and participate in. Please find the last three contests listed below, with deadline dates and all the information you will need. There are applications on the webpage for these contests also. Please take the time to download the applications and hand them out to teachers, neighbors, family members, veterans and their families. Continuing Education Scholarship Deadline: February 15 Any Auxiliary member (who has belonged for at least a year), spouse, son or daughter with a financial need. Must be 18 years old, complete the application and submit an essay of 300 words or less. Mail to: Administrator of Programs VFW Auxiliary National Headquarters 406 W 34 th St. 10 th Floor Kansas City, MO 64111 Email to: info@vfwauxiliary.org Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest All students grades 9-12, (no older than 18) and a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National No Digital Art. Artwork must be on canvas or paper. It will be judged on patriotic theme and technique. Deadlines: Entries received by local Auxiliary March 31 Entries received by District April 7 Entries received by Department April 15 Entries received by National Headquarters May 5
Minnesota Only Scholarship Marcella Arnold Nursing Scholarship Deadline is April 1, and October 1 Applicant must be a full time Nursing student in an Associate or Bachelor Degree School of Nursing Applicant must be a member or eligible to join the VFW or VFW Auxiliary, or a child or grandchild of a member of the VFW or VFW Auxiliary a resident of Minnesota, non-resident of MN with a membership in the MN VFW Auxiliary, attending a nursing school in Minnesota Recognition is key It is important that scholarship and contest winners receive recognition at every level. *present a special gift *Ask the winner to read the winning entry at your meeting *host an award ceremony *take a picture of the winners for your local newspaper, auxiliary website or Facebook page *Don t forget to recognize the parents Thank you to all the posts and auxiliaries for all their hard work this past year in the Scholarships Program. Paige Amundson National Scholarships Chairman 210 1 st Ave South Wheaton, MN 56296 Cell-320-815-0213, home 320-563-0997
Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Minnesota YOUTH ACTIVITIES FEBRUARY 2018 - BULLETIN #8 I hope you were all able to make it to our Mid-Winter Convention but if you were not able to make it I wanted to share some additional information with you in regards to completing the year end reports. Each Auxiliary should have received a copy of the Year End Reports. I strongly encourage you to review it now to see what items you may not have participated in yet and that will give you the opportunity to participate in them so that you can report 100%! Please remember that there is one year-end report for the Auxiliary to complete, and then there is a different report at the District level for the District chairmen to complete. I tried to word them each so they make sense when completing them. For the Auxiliary level report I just want to give some tips and ideas of things you could put on there. When it is asking about youth groups think about the girl scouts, boy scouts, church youth groups, FFA, 4H, National Honor Society at the High School, etc. that you may have worked with. For the first question, go out to the National VFW Auxiliary website and download the form to see if one of the youth groups you worked with are eligible for the Youth Groups Supporting our Veteran Citations. For the second question it is two parts, asking how many youth groups your auxiliary worked with and then how many youth were involved. So you will want to enter the number of youth groups and then the total number of youth. For example, if you worked a couple of times with the girl scouts, it would be one youth group and then let s say for the couple of different times, you had a total of 15 girl scouts, you would put the 15 in the second line and the 1 in the first line. The third question is in regards to the Random Acts of Patriotism Program so you will answer yes or no, and then put the numbers of coins and then cards that you handed out and then a brief explanation of where you handed them out as well. For example, you go to your local elementary school to a classroom when the students are doing the Pledge of Allegiance and hand out a R.A.P. card to each student. You would put 25 cards distributed and then just note students saying the Pledge of Allegiance. For the fourth question, did you give any recognition to youth in your community for their academic, athletic, scouting or other accomplishments and then how did you recognize them. This is a great one to get in touch with your local Girl Scouts leader and see if they have a scout who is working on their Gold Award. You could recognize them with a certificate from the website, maybe a monetary donation if your Auxiliary is able to provide that. For the fifth question about the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. Even if you did not get a youth to participate in this one, please do share the information with the community either in your newspaper or meeting with a youth group to talk about it and then be sure to report how you promoted the program. The sixth question is about the MN only program, Patriotic Art Explorers Contest. There is still time to promote this one and get entries in! The deadline to the local Auxiliary is March 31 st. Get in contact with your local youth groups, art teachers and counselors at school to help share this information! Ashley Punches 417 Sunflower Ct. Cannon Falls MN 55009 ashley.punches@gmail.com 952-270-3437 Continuing our legacy for ALL veterans and their families