Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Minnesota GENERAL ORDERS #9 MARCH 2019 "General Orders are to be read at the first meeting following receipt before being filed for reference." 1. MEMBERSHIP: National President Sandi Kriebel is challenging us to show our devotion to our veterans and their families by reaching out in our communities, telling our story and recruiting and retaining members. At 12:00 a.m. (midnight) CST on March 31, 2019, the Department in each Program Division that shows the highest growth in their membership percentage for the time period of February 15 - March 31 will receive a $200 monetary award to be deposited in into the Department bank account. 2. NATIONAL TREASURER: Per Section 809E of the National Bylaws, notification was previously sent on December 18, 2018, concerning the vacancy of the office of National Treasurer. The only name placed in nomination for the National Treasurer was Past National President, Ann Panteleakos. Therefore, by acclamation, Ann Panteleakos is elected as the National Treasurer and will be installed at the Council of Administration meeting at the Mid-Year Conference in Tucson, Arizona on March 16, 2019. 3. ELECTION OF OFFICERS: Officers for the coming year (2019-2020) are to be elected at your regular monthly meeting in April. Review you membership roster and make sure any member that may be considered for an office has paid their membership dues and is in good standing. No member shall be elected to office unless they are in attendance or unless a written letter stating willingness to hold office is received. 4. GOALS AND QUOTAS: As of the writing of these General Orders, we were just shy of meeting the quarter goal. We are so close to making 100%...Go Team Go!! 5. LEGISLATIVE DAY: Veterans Day on the Hill is scheduled for Wednesday, March 20th. Tentative plans include a pre-rally lunch presented by the DAV at 10:30 a.m. at the St. Paul Amory. A Veterans March to the Rally will start at 12:45 p.m. from the Veterans Service Building with the Rally beginning at 1:30 p.m. Make plans to try and attend. Let's have a good showing for the VFW and Auxiliary. 6. CREATIVE PATRIOTIC ART: Don't forget the deadline for art entries to the Auxiliary is March 15, to your District March 31 and to Department Chairman Tim Haugen by April 15. Send your Auxiliary first place winners to your District Chairman by March 31. 7. YEAR END REPORTS: I hope all the Presidents remember to open the General Orders and get the Year- end report forms. We do not want to see reports with blanks or "no participation". Make sure to adhere to the deadlines. Auxiliary reports are due to the District President by March 31. District Chairmen, reports are due to Department Chairman by April 15. IF YOU DID NOT RECEIVE YOUR YEAREND REPORTS, YOU CAN GET A COPY FROM THE MN VFW AUXILIARY WEB SITE UNDER THE FORMS HEADING.
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Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Minnesota
GENERAL ORDERS #9 MARCH 2019
"General Orders are to be read at the first meeting following receipt before being filed for reference."
1. MEMBERSHIP: National President Sandi Kriebel is challenging us to show our devotion to our veterans
and their families by reaching out in our communities, telling our story and recruiting and retaining members. At 12:00 a.m. (midnight) CST on March 31, 2019, the Department in each Program Division that shows the highest growth in their membership percentage for the time period of February 15 - March 31 will receive a $200 monetary award to be deposited in into the Department bank account.
2. NATIONAL TREASURER: Per Section 809E of the National Bylaws, notification was previously sent on December 18, 2018, concerning the vacancy of the office of National Treasurer. The only name placed in nomination for the National Treasurer was Past National President, Ann Panteleakos. Therefore, by acclamation, Ann Panteleakos is elected as the National Treasurer and will be installed at the Council of Administration meeting at the Mid-Year Conference in Tucson, Arizona on March 16, 2019.
3. ELECTION OF OFFICERS: Officers for the coming year (2019-2020) are to be elected at your regular monthly meeting in April. Review you membership roster and make sure any member that may be considered for an office has paid their membership dues and is in good standing. No member shall be elected to office unless they are in attendance or unless a written letter stating willingness to hold office is received.
4. GOALS AND QUOTAS: As of the writing of these General Orders, we were just shy of meeting the
quarter goal. We are so close to making 100%...Go Team Go!! 5. LEGISLATIVE DAY: Veterans Day on the Hill is scheduled for Wednesday, March 20th. Tentative plans
include a pre-rally lunch presented by the DAV at 10:30 a.m. at the St. Paul Amory. A Veterans March to the Rally will start at 12:45 p.m. from the Veterans Service Building with the Rally beginning at 1:30 p.m. Make plans to try and attend. Let's have a good showing for the VFW and Auxiliary.
6. CREATIVE PATRIOTIC ART: Don't forget the deadline for art entries to the Auxiliary is March 15, to your District March 31 and to Department Chairman Tim Haugen by April 15. Send your Auxiliary first place winners to your District Chairman by March 31.
7. YEAR END REPORTS: I hope all the Presidents remember to open the General Orders and get the Year-end report forms. We do not want to see reports with blanks or "no participation". Make sure to adhere to the deadlines. Auxiliary reports are due to the District President by March 31. District Chairmen, reports are due to Department Chairman by April 15. IF YOU DID NOT RECEIVE YOUR YEAREND REPORTS, YOU CAN GET A COPY FROM THE MN VFW AUXILIARY WEB SITE UNDER THE FORMS HEADING.
8. TESTIMONIAL: My testimonial will be held on March 23rd, 2019 at Jack and Jim's in Duelm, MN. The
reservation flyer is included in these General Orders. Deadline for reservations is March 15.
9. MARCELLA ARNOLD SCHOLARSHIP: Deadline is April 1… there is still time to work on some applicants.
10. DELEGATE FORMS: District delegates are to be elected at least 30 days prior to your District Convention and Department delegates must be elected at least 30 days prior to the Department Convention. Fill out the Delegate form and get them sent in (District forms are included in this mailing). District delegates are due to your District Secretary by April 1 and Department delegates are due to the Department office by May 28. Don't forget to send the Delegate fees to Department when you receive the Department Delegate Invoice from the office.
11. HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS: Remember to check with your Post home to see if they will be having special dinners or events for St. Patrick's Day. Support your Post home!!
12. COMMANDER TOM HANSON'S TESTIMONIAL: The Department Commander's Testimonial will be held on April 6th at the Willmar Post in Willmar. Reservation form is included in these General Orders.
13. NATIONAL MID-YEAR CONFERENCE: This year it will be in Tucson, AZ on March 14-27.
14. DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME: March 10th is the day…don't forget to turn your clock ahead!
15. PAST DEPARTMENT PRESIDENT BEV BUTMAN passed away on Tuesday, February 12. She served as Department President in 1989-1990. Cards may be sent to the Family of Bev Butman, 803 Colt Street, Marshall, MN 56258.
Get well wishes to all who are ill…prayers and condolences to those
who have lost loved ones.
"Working Hard to Turn Nightmares into Dreams"
BELIEVE…WE CAN DO IT!
By Order of: Attested to: Patches Presfield Marilyn Sheffield Department President Department Secretary
Come join the celebration for
Department President Patches Presfield March 23, 2019
Social Hour 5:00 pm
Dinner 6:00 pm
To be held at: Jack and Jim’s 11205 Duelm Rd., Duelm, MN
Buffet Style dinner featuring Prime Rib and Grilled Cod
Potatoes, Vegetable and Caesar Salad
Cost for the Dinner will be $25.00
Reservation dead line is March 15, 2019
========================================================= Name:_______________________________Post # ______# of Reservations_____
$_________enclosed
Reservations will be checked at the door
Make checks payable to: VFW Auxiliary 4847 and earmark them “testimonial dinner” Mail to: Jan Rudolph, 3531-12th Ave. SE, St. Cloud, MN 56304
Working hard to turn nightmares into dreams __________________________________________________________________
For those of you who would like to make hotel reservations: Hotels in the area or
closest to Duelm… St. Cloud: Country Inn and Suites, 120-7th Ave. SE, St. Cloud – 320-252-8282 Becker Inn and Suites/ Super 8, 138041-1st St. – 763-262-7700
Please join 2018‐19 State Commander Tom Hanson in celebra ng his service to the Department of Minnesota
Saturday, April 6, 2019 6 p.m. Social 7:00 p.m. Dinner
Willmar V.F.W. Post #1639
1108 Highway 12 E., Willmar, MN 56201
HOTEL RESERVATIONS: See back of form for Housing arrangements
$26 per Ticket Includes Dinner, Fun… and maybe a li le roas ng!
Make checks payable to “Willmar V.F.W. Post #1639” earmarked “Department Commander’s Testimonial”
A 20 room block has been reserved at the
Willmar Best Western Plus Hotel
10 Single Bed Rooms 10 Double Bed Rooms:
$129.99 $139.99
Room block has been reserved under: Tom Hanson Testimonial
Best Western Plus Willmar phone number: 320-235-6060
All Reservation must be made by March 31st!
DEPARTMENT AND DISTRICT
ROSTER ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS March, 2019
Auxiliaries
9th District Auxiliary
Red River Valley #3817 East Grand Forks Meeting day and time changed to second Sunday at 2:00 p.m.
DISTRICT PRESIDENT TESTIMONIALS
District Date/Location
1 May 4, Spring Valley
6 April 27, Monticello
7 April 13, Brooklyn Park
9 April 27, Thief River Falls
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, 2019.
If a member registers as an alternate, they must vote as an alternate even though they are 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.
District 3 Secretary Ann Krueger 1463 US Hwy 59 Garvin MN 56132 507-629-3076
District 4 Secretary Judy Mitchell 331 Quehl Ave N Lakeland, MN 55043 651-436-7581
District 5 Secretary Emily Hansen 1027 4th Avenue Madison MN 56256 320-598-3235
District 6 Secretary Corinne Bahe 621 Martin Avenue PO Box 217 Belgrade MN 56312 320-254-3306
District 7 Secretary Marilyn Sheffield 7625 Scott Avenue N Brooklyn Park MN 55443 763-566-6217
District 8 Secretary Alma Ojala 426 3rd St Cloquet MN 55720 218-879-4432
District 9 Secretary Jamie Cassavant 17757 220th Street SW Red Lake Falls MN 56750 218-289-0865
TREASURER'S TIPS and TRAINING March 2019
Spring is in the air and I personally can’t wait for warmer weather and more sunlight! A few of you had questions regarding money deposited into your account – Life Member Payouts were deposited directly into your account in January. Another deposit you may have noted that came from National is for $25 – each auxiliary will receive $25 when they reach 100% PLUS in Membership based on their June 30, 2018 total membership. ACH – If you change banks, you must fill out a form and notify
National Headquarters or they can no longer withdraw or deposit funds using the old account. If you need assistance or can’t find the form you need, please contact the Department Office. Membership Cards – If you have a member that does not receive their Membership Card, please contact the National HQ Office to inquire. The number is 816-561-8655. Membership Applications – There is a newly revised Membership Application again, this should make the Affiliated vs. Non-Affiliated easier to distinguish. Please throw out all old applications. Transfers – Section 106 of the National Bylaws deals with transfer members. Please take time to familiarize yourself with this section. Transferring members MUST be voted on just like any other member. 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. 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. Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all and may you have a Blessed Easter. Laurie A. Dale, Treasurer Department of MN VFW Auxiliary
Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary
Department of Minnesota
Donations Cheat Sheet Please mail donations directly to these addresses
1. Cancer Grant Fund (Donation may be made via MALTA) Make Checks payable and mail to: VFW Auxiliary 406 W. 34th St. 10th Floor Kansas City, MO 64111
2. Health & Happiness, Christmas Cheer ( .10 per member or more) (Donation may be made via MALTA) Make checks payable and mail to: VFW Auxiliary 406 W. 34th St. 10th Floor Kansas City, MO 64111
3. National Home Veteran & Military Helpline Make checks payable and mail to: National Home for Children 3573 South Waverly Rd Eaton Rapids, MI 48827
4. VFW Veterans & Military Support Programs
(MAP, Unmet Needs, Operation Uplink, Veterans & Military Support Program) Make checks payable and mail to: VFW Headquarters 406 W. 34th St. 9th Floor Kansas City, MO 64111
5. Patriot’s Pen Scholarship Fund - National
Make checks payable and mail to: VFW Headquarters 406 W. 34th St. 11th Floor Kansas City, MO 64111
6. Armed Forces Service Center Make checks payable and mail to: AFSC 4300 Glumack Dr. LT 3765 MSP International Airport St. Paul, MN 55111
7. Freedom Flight POW/MIA ( Balloon )
Make checks payable and mail to: Freedom Flight PO Box 1052 St. Cloud, MN 56302
8. MACV – MN Assistance Council for Veterans Make checks payable and mail to: MACV 2700 E. Lake Street, #3350 Minneapolis, MN 55406
9. Wreaths Across America
Make checks payable and mail to: Wreaths Across America PO Box 249 Columbia Falls, ME 04623
10. Snowball Express
Make checks payable and mail to: Snowball Express 6505 W. Park Blvd Suite 306 PMB 256 Plano, TX 75093
AMERICANISM Bulletin #9 - March 2019
The March 31, 2019 Year-End Reporting deadline is nearing, so I am sure you all are busy putting together all the activities you have done this past year. Don’t forget about the Americanism activities you may have done last year in April, May and June after the reporting deadline for the 2017-2018 year. Those months in 2018 may have provided several opportunities to be involved in patriotic activities, such as May 1 - Loyalty Day, May 19 - Armed Forces Day, May 28 - Memorial Day Observation and June 14 - Flag Day. Please be mindful about duplicating counts of items/volunteers on different program reports, be sure to continue working cooperatively with other program chairmen to include Americanism activities whenever they fit in an event and decide who will take credit of items to be reported - don’t assume someone else will or will not be reporting them. Don’t short your auxiliary on an activity not reported. Read the questions on the Year-End Reports carefully, for instance, if a report asks for how many, the reported answer should be a number, not YES or NO. All Auxiliary Year-End Reports are due to the District President, who will then distribute the program reports to their respective chairmen. Days to fly your American Flag: • March 29 – National Vietnam War Veterans Day • April 21 - Easter Sunday I am looking forward to seeing 100% reporting participation in all the Districts. Remember to set your clocks ahead on March 10 – Daylight Savings Time begins.
“Working Hard to Turn Nightmares into Dreams” “Believe – We Can Do It!”
Gege Abraham, Americanism Chairman Department of Minnesota VFW Auxiliary
“BUDDY”® POPPY/NATIONAL HOME FOR CHILDREN Bulletin #8 – March 2019
“BUDDY” POPPY The Red Petals stand for the vast outpouring of blood. The dark centers represent the mud and desolation of all battlefields. The green stem is symbolic of the forests, meadows and fields where American soldiers have perished to make this land free. National Ambassador Renee Fulk says: Thank you to all the Departments who have hosted “Buddy”® Poppy display contests in your Department. Be sure the Department has winners to submit to the National competition in one of the three categories. At our Mid-Winter Conference, it was discussed that only the three (3) National Categories should be allowed in our contest. The VFW will keep us informed. I also wanted to inform you that MN Auxiliaries used a total of 13,988 poppies in the Display Contest held at Mid-Winter. Thanks again for all who helped. VFW NATIONAL HOME FOR CHILDREN In the mid 60’s the National Home was endowed with it’s first library. All Department Auxiliaries were asked to donate books about their state. National President Sandi Kriebel’s special project of the remodel of the Guest Lodge Kitchen shows, as of January 2, 2019, the total donations are $39,660.79. We still need $45,339.21 to make our goal of $85,000. Please keep up the great work on promoting our National President’s special project. There are three lanes of eligibility through which a family can apply to live at the National Home. Eligibility stems from the child/children) in the family. They are: 1) A veteran family (at least one parent that has served and been honorably discharged). 2) An active-duty military family (a parent is currently serving in the armed forces or reserves). 3) A relative of a VFW or Auxiliary member (this includes step-parents/grandparents). This third lane is the most wide-reaching, as many people living in the United States have a parent or grandparent who has served. Sometimes, the child’s parent or grandparent is not a VFW or Auxiliary member but are eligible to become one. If they become a member, then the family is eligible to apply to live at the National Home. Carol Kratz / MN Dept Chairman 651-245-1024 “Buddy” Poppy & National Home [email protected]
Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary
Department of Minnesota
CHIEF OF STAFF/EXTENSION Bulletin #9 – March 2019
Help auxiliary members by providing a member packet with information on our organization. Engage members in programs they like. Ask members to participate. Listen to others and value their opinions. Take time to teach members about membership and MALTA. Honor our veterans. You can make a difference!! Is your Auxiliary HEALTHY? Have you implemented a program to ensure your Auxiliary achieves good health? Have you implemented a mentoring program for new and current members? Have you used the Programs & Publicity Resources webpage to achieve good health? Hopefully, you answered “yes” to all these questions. If not, you can still do all these things to achieve a healthy auxiliary!!! Communication is an important key; the more we communicate the more engaged our members become. Reward your members with a gesture of thanks. Focus on strengths and not faults! Recognize the value of volunteer’s time. Work together to achieve success. Membership contributes to the success of an auxiliary and maintaining good health. A strong focus needs to be made to ensure our new members receive up-to-date information and any member who has not attended a meeting for awhile could benefit from this also. Mentoring members has no time limit. It can provide a wealth of information. Every auxiliary should have a mentoring program. There is so much to learn, and learning from a friend is best way to develop future leaders. Mentoring is based on relationships. No matter the backgrounds, everyone has something in common: veterans!!! Remember: An unhealthy auxiliary leads to decline in meeting attendance, membership and volunteer opportunities. Do NOT let this happen to your auxiliary!!! YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!! Joyce Abers Department of Minnesota Chief of Staff/Extension Email: [email protected] Home Phone: 1-320-859-6504 Cell Phone: 1-320-491-2879
HISTORIAN/MEDIA RELATIONS Bulletin #9 - March 2019
I would like to thank all the historians out there working hard to keep our memories alive for our future. Let us start our work “How to share your local auxiliary stories and events with media".
How do you promote yourself in your community? A. Newspaper B. Radio C. TV D. Flyers E. Facebook/Twitter/Instagram
What is not newsworthy?
A. Your meetings B. Who was elected to various positions in your auxiliary C. When you are having spaghetti dinners, bingo night, etc.
These are all good calendar of events and local tidbit items, etc. Just not feature stories.
Before you call for news coverage, ask these questions:
• Are local people involved? • Is the event happening in the next few months? • Will the event help the local community? • Is the activity or event unique? • Does the event promote a new idea or concept?
Does anyone know what is newsworthy?
• Auxiliary visits to VA facilities • Decorating graves on Veterans Day or Memorial Day & Wreaths Across America • Visiting deployed families and troops, hosting holiday events, offering financial
assistance • Adopting a unit or support programs and collecting supplies • Scholarship winners, Buddy poppy drives • National President's visits
Be proud, show our pride, walk tall and toot those horns for all you have done! Twyla Bauch-Scofield – Historian Media Relations Chairman 59990 279th St., Litchfield MN 55355
March 31st is the end of the Hospital Program year, so you still have a few weeks to finish up those last projects so you can report them on your Year End reports. Please do not write “No Participation” across the front of your report. I know all of you have done something, take the time to document it. This is your time to brag about all that your Auxiliary has done! You must have your report to your District President by March 31st. I have included the pattern for the weighted lap pad that was discussed at Mid-Winter. Thanks to Joanne Brown for creating this pattern; she has made a few of them already for the Minneapolis Veterans Home for Memory Care/ Alzheimer’s Unit. Minneapolis VAHCS – Greetings. I want to thank everyone for your wonderful donations to our Hospital Fund. With these funds I am able to provide the veterans with comfort care items that make life a little easier for them. Have you visited a veteran lately and thanked them for their service? A visit to the Hospital or Veterans Home/Nursing Home and let them know how much they are appreciated. We just completed a very successful Creative Arts Festival and the winners will go on to the National Competition. We have some very talented Veterans. I hope some of you had a chance to visit. Thank you again for all you do for our Hospitalized Veterans and their families. Reva Swanson VAVS Representative Sioux Falls VAHCS has started a new program, the Women Veteran Program. They are looking for funds for this program. Also can use socks, L and XL t-shirts, L , XL, 2XL & 3XL coats or (gently used) for men. Ann Krueger & Lois Novosad VAVS Representatives Fargo VAHCS We can always use personal care items, deodorant, hair brushes, large body wash, after shave, denture cleaner and adhesive. We also are in need of quilts, 60 X 80 is the preferred size. Fargo would like a few of the weighted lap pads. We had a very busy Salute to Veterans week; there were special activities every day for the Veterans. On Wednesday 13 of them came over to our post #1223 for a walleye dinner. Our department paid for a special lunch on Valentine’s Day for the Veterans and their significant other. Karen Haugen VAVS Representative 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. I am one of the lucky ones that get to go to a facility and hand out the gifts, quilts and personal care items you all donate. On behalf of our Hospitalized Veterans THANK YOU!
Working Hard to Turn Nightmares into Dreams!
Karen Haugen Department Hospital Chairman 1810 17th St S. Moorhead, MN 56560 701.367.1518 [email protected]
Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary
Department of Minnesota
WEIGHTED LAP PADS
Step 1 - Using Plastic Pellets, fill 4” baggies (candy bags work well) with ½ - ¾ Cup of pellets. Fold baggie closed and seal. Twenty-eight (28) filled baggies, each baggie weighing 3-4 oz. will make a 5-7 lb. lap pad. {Victory Pellets ordered through Amazon.com (50#/$113.00) are Machine Washable & Dryable & Made in the USA!}
Step 2 - Use ‘Blue Trigger’ or similar durable fabric.
Cut 18” across, salvage edge to salvage edge.
Sew up sides (pillow case style).
Turn right side out.
Make 4 columns by top stitching, evenly spaced rows, and parallel to side seams.
Step 3 – Insert a baggie (from Step 1) into each column.
Push tight, use straight pin to hold in place and sew across, containing the 1st of 7 rows of pellets.
Repeat 6 more times.
After final 7th row, you will fold over salvage edge to create hem.
Weighted Lap Pad is complete.
Step 4 – Create a covering to enclose Lap Pad, using soothing, washable fabric (Polar Fleece, Flannel).
Stitch 6” piece of Hook/Loop fastener to edge of covering
LEGISLATIVE Bulletin #9 - March 2019
The 2019 MN Veterans Day on the Hill rally will be on Wednesday, March 20th. The Minnesota Association of County Veterans Service Officers, the Minnesota Commanders’ Task Force, and the United Veterans Legislative Council of Minnesota will host Veterans Day on the Hill. There will be representation by many veterans’ service organizations. Please attend if you are able. Show your support!
Here is a schedule of the events.
• 10:30 - Free Veterans and supporters pre-rally lunch presented by the DAV of MN at the St. Paul Armory (600 Cedar St.)
• 12:45 - Veterans March to the Rally, starting from the Veterans Services Building (20 W. 12th Street)
• 1:30-2:30 - CTF, UVLC, and MACVSO present Rally in the Rotunda
Yes, it is that time of year for the year end reports. We need 100% reporting and 100% participation. The first item on the year-end report is about the VFW Priority Goals. The first 8 bulletins included them. If you read this at your meetings, you promoted this program. At Fall Conference, I had the “I Vote in Honor of a Veteran” stickers and buttons. If you used those or distributed them, take credit for what you did. I know some Auxiliaries did a lot with town hall meetings, get out the vote campaigns, and other events. I am also certain that every Auxiliary did something related to Legislation. Take credit for all you did! Two new national bills related to veterans have been introduced this month. Sen. Amy Klobuchar introduced S.95, Veterans Access to Care. In the House, HR95 has been introduced. It is the Homeless Veterans Family Act and is co-sponsored by Rep. McCollum, MN-4, Peterson, MN-7, and Stauber MN-8. Let your representatives know that you support care for our veterans. The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs website lists at least 31 bills related to veterans that have been introduced in the new Minnesota legislative session. Check out their website for more information. Thanks for all you do for Veterans. Cleo Bonham – Department Chairman 4727 White Oak Ct. Eagan MN 55122 651-208-3744 [email protected]
Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary
Department of Minnesota
MINNESOTA VETERANS DAY ON THE HILL
Wednesday, March 20, 2019 Minnesota State Capitol Rotunda
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd St. Paul, MN 55155
Rally begins at 1:30pm Pre-rally lunch for Veterans and supporters
at the Cedar Street Armory Hosted by:
Minnesota Association of County Veterans Service Officers Minnesota Commanders’ Task Force
United Veterans Legislative Council of Minnesota
Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Minnesota
MEMBERSHIP & RECRUITMENT Bulletin #9 - March 2019
Department of Minnesota Membership Chairman Sonia Tatge 322 Trondheim Rd Kenyon, MN 55946 507-789-6240 [email protected] Mid-Winter Conference found many Auxiliaries receiving awards for membership. Congratulations, again, to everyone for their hard work in recruiting those new members and getting those annual members to pay their dues. However, like all of the snow and ice that Minnesota has been getting, our receipt of membership dues for annual, new, and rejoin members has also been FROZEN!! At the present time we still need 619 unpaid dues from our members. We are at a stand still right now! Dues reminder notices must be sent out to unpaid annual members right away. Our Department Membership Team has a solution: All 9 District Presidents must call Department Treasurer at the Department Auxiliary office ASAP and find out how many unpaid members there are in their District. Working with the office, dues reminder notices will be sent out to every unpaid member. The office will mail these out and provide the envelopes, paper, and printing at no cost to the District. The District only has to pay for the postage. What a great idea! Even if Auxiliaries sent notices before, we need to send them again and then follow up with phone calls or personal contacts. Make every effort to become 100%! Minnesota can earn monetary awards for being 100% Plus. More importantly, we strengthen our organization and serve our Veterans. Believe--- we can do it! Recruit those new members, also! Remember, we lose members for various reasons, including death, and we need to continue to grow our organization.
RETAIN current members RECRUIT new members REJOINS help us grow the VFW Auxiliary
The Auxiliary Relief Fund is always available to help out those members that need assistance. Just pay the per capita. If you have questions, contact Department Treasurer Laurie Dale. YEAR END REPORTS ARE DUE TO YOUR DISTRICT PRESIDENTS BY MARCH 31! Send two hard copies and allow 5-7 days for mail to arrive by the due date. Let’s have 100% participation and reporting! Yes, there is a Membership report, also. Copies have been sent out to all Auxiliary presidents.
March Madness will soon be upon us and with that we are coming to the end of our Scholarships for the year. The Creative Patriotic Art Contest is our last one and there will be one Lucky student who will be our winner and sent off to National for judging. 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. Don’t forget the deadline (April 1st) for Minnesota’s Marcella Arnold Nursing Scholarship.
I want to thank all of you busy Auxiliary members who worked so hard to promote the Scholarships Program to our youth. Thank you for working side by side with the VFW Post members to promote, collect, judge and recognize the winners of the Voice of Democracy and Patriots Pen entrants.
Now I want to say that for those of you that didn't attend Mid-Winter and especially the Banquet where we recognized the Patriots Pen Winner and all 9 District VOD Winners, you missed out on some very talented students. It was great to meet every family and welcome them to the convention at the District VOD Winners party and again at the District VOD Winners Reception prior to the banquet. It was a great honor to be up on stage with Department VFW Chairman Don Nix to help announce the Winners.
My wife and I were honored to be seated next to the Patriots Pen winner Brennan Muhich an 8th grader from Eveleth who was sponsored by George and Mark Klobuchar VFW Post #4456 and Auxiliary, Gilbert, MN. While talking with Brennan I found out that last year he finished 4th in his District and was very surprised to be the Department Winner. Just a side note he plans on entering the VOD competition next year so look out for him in the future.
It was a distinct honor to congratulate the Voice of Democracy winner Abigail Parker of Lino Lakes who was sponsored by Coon Rapids BFW Post #9625 and Auxiliary. Minnesota will be represented very well in March when she heads to Washington, DC for the National Voice of Democracy event. Best of Luck Abigail!
The winners of the Marcella Arnold Nursing Scholarship are as follows. Each winner will receive $500.00. 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: Tina McChesney, New Brighton, MN Michaela Hertling, Springfield, MN Alice Mohs, Alexandria, MN Anne Prentiss, Richfield, MN Wendy Pekarek, Minnetonka, MN Taylor Batsche, Plymouth, MN Krystin Braaten, Lindstrom, MN
Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Minnesota
Young American Creative Minnesota Only! Patriotic Art Contest Nursing
Here is this years Breakdown for the top 8 Places:
The breakdown is as follows: First Place – $15,000
Second Place – $7,500 Third Place – $3,500 Fourth Place – $1,500
Fifth through Eighth Place – $500
Any student in grades 9-12 who is enrolled in a public, private or parochial high school or home study program in the United States.
Maximum student age of 18 at time of local entry. Student must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national. Applicant does not have to be related to a VFW
or VFW Auxiliary member to participate, but the student must attend school in the same state as the sponsoring VFW Auxiliary.
Changes to 2018 – 19 Patriotic Art Contest
Beginning this Program Year (2018-2019), two and three dimensional art will be accepted!
Two-dimensional art must be on canvas or paper. Watercolor, pencil, pastel, charcoal,
tempera, crayon, acrylic, pen, ink, oil, marker or other media taught may be used.
Three dimensional art can be paper, papier-mâché, pottery, clay, metal work, fabric, etc.
Digital art, photography and jewelry are NOT ACCEPTED.
Artwork must be on canvas or paper. It will be judged on patriotic theme and technique.
Deadlines: Entries received by local Auxiliary
March 15th Entries received by local District
March 31st Entries received by Department
April 15th Entries received by National Headquarters
Marcella Arnold Nursing Scholarship:
Deadline is April 1 and October 1,
2019
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
Tim Haugen May 5th membership Department Scholarship Chairman 1810 17th St S Moorhead, MN 56560-5809 701.261.6973 [email protected]
in the MN VFW Auxiliary, attending any accredited nursing
As we are getting near the time to fill out our year-end reports, I want to make sure that you do fill them out and get them to your auxiliary president, who will send them to the District President. 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 below. The deadline for the submissions of the MN Middle School Art Contest to department was February 28th. I will have them judged and the awards will be handed out at the Department Convention in June. Reminder that all of the auxiliary report forms were mailed to your Auxiliary President and are available on the website as well. Make sure to fill it out so we can make 100% in reporting this year. Remember to award Youth Groups Supporting Our Veterans: Youth Groups Supporting Our Veterans Citations are FREE from National Headquarters. These citations are a great way to recognize and honor the hard working youth of the community and of the Auxiliary. There are so many opportunities for your Auxiliary to submit a citation request for a project that a youth group has done in your community. It can be a group from scouts, church or anywhere. Make it special when you present the youth group with the citation; take pictures and post on social media with permission of the parents. You can get the citation form on the resource page of the website www.vfwauxiliary.org/resources ***Remember this citation is for youth groups, not individual youth. Dave Scofield – Department of Minnesota Youth Activities Chairman 59990 279th St., Litchfield MN 55355 [email protected] (320) 894-4246
