The Following Items Are in the General Orders
The following items are in the General Orders.
Some are kept on the web site and you will need to download off this site separately.
ITEM / WHERE YOU WILL FIND ITGeneral Orders / In this one click
Veterans & Family Report Program / In this one click
Americanism Program / In this one click
Hospital Progam / In this one click
Legislative Program / In this one click
Membership Program / In this one click
Scholarships Program / In this one click
Youth Activities Program / In this one click
Historian / In this one click
Ways and Means / In this one click
Chief of Staff / In this one click
Roaster changes / In this one click
Auxiliary President form / In this one click
Treasurer Information / In this one click
VOD Banquet form / On web site under News / Events
Program Book form for Council meetings / On web site under Post
Agenda for Winter Conference / In this one click
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE – January/February 2017
TAKING CARE OF VETERANS
while
BEE-ING KIND TO ONE ANOTHER
Happy New Year! From my house to yours, may this coming year bring you all the things that make a happy & healthy life for you.
LIFE MEMBERSHIP COST: Remember that a 15% increase for life membership dues went into effect 1/1/2017. Please go on line and print the new membership applications which reflect that change.
ANNUAL MEMBERS: Remember those annual members who failed to pay their 2017 dues are no longer members and cannot attend meetings nor hold officer positions. Please contact them and see if they need assistance in paying these dues. We don’t want to leave any member behind!!
PREPARATION FOR YEAR-END REPORTS: In January, each auxiliary president should make a copy of the year end reports for each auxiliary chairman. Ask the chairmen to complete this form and bring it to the February meeting. At the February meeting, determine what needs to be done in each Program to be able to complete the year-end report by the first of April. Year-End Reports due in the chairmen’s hand by April 15.
Each district’s VOICE OF DEMOCRACY and PATRIOT PEN scholarship winners have been turned in to Department and now is the time for you to make your reservations for the February Council of Administration (C of A) meeting and banquet. If you can only attend one meeting a year, this one banquet will have you coming away feeling so positive about the youth of Missouri and these programs we work so hard toward each year. I hope to see you February 3 – 5 in Jefferson City.
Your second VA hospital donation is due in February.
HOSPITALIZED VETERANS, those in VETERANS HOMES, and local hospital or nursing homes – don’t forget the family members of veterans – Valentine’s Day is one of our great days to spend time either in auxiliary groups or with our Youth Groups giving out cards, candy and hugs. Spend time talking with them. Ask them, what is the coldest day they remember, biggest amount of snow they have seen, etc. TIME is the best thing we offer to our veterans and their families.
MEMBERSHIP – As always, we cannot remain a strong organization without our members. For the next two months, please work on former members who, for some reason didn’t pay continue their membership in 2014, 15, and 16. Former 2014 & 2015 members would be signed up as “rejoins”. Those who were member in 2016 have until June 30 to “catch up” and be continuous members with all privileges of other members, including cancer grants.
UPCOMING ELECTIONS – Do you know our by-laws as amended July 22, 2015 permit nominating committees for our auxiliary election in April? One sentence on page 68 of the 2016 and 2017 By-Laws, Sec. 804A is the only place this is mentioned. There are no instructions on how to do this. The Demeter Manual states this committee could consist of 3 – 5 members, either appointed by your President and approved by the members, by election by the members, or simply let the President appoint the committee. If your auxiliary feels this could benefit you in getting officers to accept positions, you may want to try this.
I belong to another organization that utilizes this method to aid annual elections. The President appoints a five-person committee in Oct. so they can present their nominees at our Nov. meeting. During the December meeting the President says: “The position of President is open for nominations. Our committee has submitted the name of Elvis Presley. Are there any further nominations? Any further nominations? Any further nominations? Hearing no further nomination, ………………………………etc.”
I’m just throwing this out as many auxiliaries struggle each year to fill these important positions and this is an excellent way to start addressing it ahead of time.
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY TO EACH OF YOU.
Hugs, Hazel Attested by:
Hazel Linneberger Jeri Sherwood
President, Dept. of Mo Secretary, Dept. of Mo.
VFW Auxiliary VFW Auxiliary
VETERANS & FAMILY SUPPORT
DEPARTMENT OF MISSOURI January & February - 2017
Vera G. Harrison, Chairman Promotional Material
17550 West Prairie Grove Rd. Home – 660-347-5391
La Monte, MO 65337 Fax – 660-347-5226
Cell – 660-641-2232
THE MILITARY & VETERAN FAMILY HELPLINE- 1-800-313-4200!!!!!!!!!
. LIKE HONEY, SPREAD THE WORD!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!! I can’t believe we are half way thru our fiscal year. I am sure all of you are working hard for our veterans, service members and their families!! I can’t wait to hear all the wonderful things you have done!! Remember, April 15th is the deadline for yearend reports!
VFW VETERANS AND MILITARY SUPPORT PROGRAMS: DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR DONATIONS GO?
SPORTS CLIPS HELP A HERO SCHOLARSHIP - 134 SCHOLARSHIPS FOR $608,000.
UNMET NEEDS – 33 GRANTS - $70,250.
OPERATION UPLINK – 726 CALLS MADE ON FREE CALL DAYS/ 3600 VIRTUAL PINS.
MILITARY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM – 55 GRANTS AND 16,700 IN ATTENDANCE.
A total of 28,551 Veterans, Military Members & their families were supported through the Veterans and Military Support Programs during the month of November 2016.
HAVE YOU MADE YOUR DONATION?
NATIONAL VETERANS SERVICE – The VFW (NVS) helps veterans, service members and their families obtain the benefits they deserve – at no cost. These VFW Service Officers recover more than $1 billion annually in VA benefits for veterans and their dependents. My husband’s cousin joined the VFW because of a VFW Service Officer in Columbia who helped him get his benefits. HAVE YOU MADE YOUR DONATION?
“BUDDY”® POPPY – Most of you have already had your Poppy drives and used the little red flower in all kinds of creative and interesting ways. Please continue to do so and be sure to report it. At the Winter C of A in February, we will be having a “Buddy”® Poppy contest and the theme will be VALENTINES.
At the JUNE Convention we will have a Poppy contest with 3 categories. Category 1 – Public Promotion of Poppy Campaign. Category 2 – Memorial or Inspirational Displays. Category 3 – Artistic or Decorative Use of Poppies. The winning displays in each Category will be going to National Convention in New Orleans. (Please keep that in mind). Thank you!!
VFW NATIONAL HOME FOR CHILDREN – You will be receiving this material in the middle of December. Health and Happiness donations deadline is December 31st. Check and make sure you have made your donation of at least ten cents per member based on last years ending membership quota.
Are you a life member of the National Home? Life memberships are $35. Every Auxiliary member should be a life member of the National Home. I will have applications and other materials at the Winter C of A. Thank you!!
I want to thank you for the great work that you are doing for our Organization and if you have any questions, give me a call or send me an e-mail. Remember, we are here because of “OUR” Veteran and we have the obligation to take care of the HERO’S and their families. GOD BLESS YOU ALL… AND GOD BLESS AMERICA……
We, in the SHOW ME STATE are:
Taking Care of our Veterans While “BEE”-ing Kind to One Another!
UNWAVERING SUPPORT FOR UNCOMMON HEROS™
Vera
Americanism
Department of Missouri
Janet Barlar
10865 Co. Rd. 3310
Rolla, Mo. 65401
573-261-1948
January-February
Promotional Materials
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! We are on the downhill slide and we need to make sure we get all our planned projects done. April will be here before you know it and it will be time to do our year-end reports. I am very confident that each auxiliary has done an outstanding job promoting patriotism and meeting our goals for the year.
I still need your help with my video project. I am still in desperate need for more photos to make the video using pictures of our student athletes showing the proper behavior when the colors are presented and when the National Anthem is played. I know that many of you attend different sporting events in your communities. Some of you probably have children or grandchildren that participate in sporting events. All you must do is snap a picture! Once I receive enough pictures, I will put the video together and put it on our Department website and Facebook page. I am still offering an incentive for helping me. I will have the giveaway at the February C of A for the first Chairman in each membership group that sends me pictures. You may send the pictures to me via email or regular mail. I am also asking that each Americanism Chairman send me the number of letters you sent out to your athletic directors and coaches by the second week in January.
Do you have plans ready for Presidents Day projects? Presidents Day is February 20th. If you have not done a coloring contest. This would be a great opportunity to do one. I do have pictures on the Department website that that you may use, or, you may use your own pictures.
I have been asked to explain how the flags should be displayed during your meetings.
If you are FACING the President’s station, the Auxiliary is on the far-right side. In the middle is the American flag and on the far-left side is the other American flag. The American flags should be set slightly higher than the Auxiliary flag.
Last, but not least, a new law has been passed by the Missouri Legislature, House Bill 1750. It requires that all public schools to say the Pledge of Allegiance once a day. I am asking that all Americanism Chairman check with their local schools to make sure that each classroom has an American flag. If not, it would be a great project for your Auxiliary to purchase the flags for each classroom that does not have one. I have seen them as cheap as $1.39 for a 12” by 18” flag. If you need help finding these online, I am just a phone call away and am willing to help you search.
As Harry Truman said, “America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination, and on unbeatable determination to do the job at hand.”
Thank you for all your hard work for spreading patriotism around our communities. If there is anything you need, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Janet Barlar
Taking Care of our Veterans
While “Bee”-ing Kind to One
Another
Department of Missouri
January-February Promotion
Hospital Program 2016-2017
Rebecca Wischmeyer, Department Chairman
Taking Care of Our Veterans
While “BEE”-ing Kind to One Another
2016-2017 Program Goals:
Volunteer Service in Medical Facilities
Volunteer Recruitment & Recognition
Veterans Voices Writing Project
Military Suicide Awareness
Our year is over half done, this is the time to take that Year-end Report out to look at it to make sure your Auxiliary has done all of the requirements for this year.
Don’t forget about the VA’s Salute to Hospitalized Veterans’ week starts February 12-18th. Check with your VAVS Representative what your Auxiliary can do to make this week special for our hospitalized veterans.
The Military Suicide Awareness. Veterans Crisis Line, run by Veterans Affairs, can assist veterans and their families with many issues. This problem is an ongoing concern evey day. If you know a veteran in crisis Call 1-800-273-8255, press 1 or www.veteranscrisisline.net. Start working with the Behavior Health Suicidal Coordinator at your nearest VA Medical Center. I am having the Suicidal Coordinator come to the VFW Auxiliary Winter conference in February to speak on the latest on the Suicidal prevention at the VA. We are losing 22 veterans a day from suicide. THIS RATE HAS TO BE STOP!
Each of our members needs to know the FIVE Signs of Awareness. Our National Commander in Chief and our National President has this special project for us to make aware of our behavior disorders. Please review this website. https://www.knowthefivesigns.org/tools/oc/Bo/KnowTheFiveSigns.
Personality Change: Sudden or gradual changes in the way someone typically behave
Agitation: When someone sees uncharacteristically angry, agitated, or moody
Withdrawal: Withdrawn or isolated from other people; pulling away from family and friends
Poor Self-Care: Has stopped taking care of themselves and may engage in risky behavior
Hopelessness: Seems overcome with hopelessness and overwhelmed by their circumstances.
I sat down with the Secretary of the VA, Bob McDonald in October in Washington D.C. about what he is working on to improve the care of the VA. He is aware of the problems of the staff at the VAs’. Years and years of the same stuff going on and it times time to get it back on the right track. Any veterans have a problem at the VA in the care or their eligibility should call his office or email: . He is hoping to involve the family in the veterans care. He feels they should have an input in that veteran’s care.