Category: Auxiliary

Memorial Day events

Memorial Day weekend was a beautiful and inspiring time for our VFW Day of Service at Golden Gardens Park in Ballard. Through continued service we pay tribute to our fallen friends and ensure that their sacrifices are not forgotten. Thank you to Councilmember Dan Strauss for taking time out of his busy schedule to join us!
Thank you to our post comrades for taking time this Memorial Day to give out Buddy Poppies to local community members. The Buddy Poppy serves as a powerful reminder of the valor and selflessness displayed by our servicemen and servicewomen. Its creation by veterans and its distribution by the VFW represents a collective effort to honor the fallen and support those who have served.
The post auxiliary also hosted its first pancake breakfast fundraiser on Memorial Day Weekend. We look forward to participating in more in the future!

Memorial Day Buddy Poppies

Buddy poppies 2019
Comrades Tuft and Seelig distributed Buddy Poppies at the Holman Road QFC May 27, 2019. The VFW Post 3063 Auxiliary also had a contingent at Central Market in Shoreline. The VFW Buddy Poppy program provides compensation to the veterans who assemble the poppies, provides financial assistance in maintaining state and national veterans’ rehabilitation and service programs and partially supports the VFW National Home For Children.

Auxiliary President’s Update (April 2019)

By Donna Limric

 

I would like to introduce myself as the current President of the Auxiliary to Ballard-Eagleson V.F.W. Post #3063. We have a new slate of officers: Senior Vice President Margo Clutter, Treasurer Liz Guncay, and Secretary Suzanne Potts.

 

With your help we can do many things to help our veterans and our community. We have vets in Seattle that are living on the streets, vets in hospitals who need diversion and fun times. Each May our post hosts a Bingo game for patients at the Puget Sound VA hospital.  National Home needs financial support.  Here is the link to to find other programs that need support: https://vfwauxiliary.org/what-we-do/.

 

Most importantly we need members to step up and participate.  Did you notice the word ‘Ladies’ is missing from our name?  Two years ago the membership requirement changed so we now accept men into the Auxiliary with the same eligibility as women.  Sons, brothers, fathers, grandfathers, and husbands of eligible veterans are now welcome into the Auxiliary.  Do know someone who is a spouse, widow, parent, child, grandparent, grandchild or sibling of someone who served their country during a foreign conflict?  Just ask, it can’t hurt.

 

We want individuals who are interested in participating in our National and Local Programs: Hospital, Americanism, Community Service, Legislative, Publicity, Scholarship, Sunshine and Youth Activities.

 

If you know anyone who is interested in becoming a member of the VFW Auxiliary, please forward my contact information to them.  If you are a member who has not been active in a while, please come see the new and exciting plans that will revitalize this organization.  In May we intend to have an open house and book sale during Ballard Nordic days.

 

The first Thursday of each month is our Auxiliary business meeting at 7:00 pm. Please come learn about the exciting new changes and plans we are making to continue the good work of support for our veterans and our community.  We strive to keep the business to under an hour.

 

I would like to invite you all to come join the 3rd Thursday of each month for the VFW social.

 

Please contact me if you have any questions. I can be reached by phone at 206-852-5434 or e-mail at [email protected]. You may send mail to 2812 NW Market St, Seattle, WA 98107.

 

Auxiliary Corner: What’s Membership?

By Donna Limric

 

The auxiliary supports the veterans and our communities so that they may be well. Most civic organizations have an auxiliary of some kind and the VFW is no exception. We raise funds, volunteer our time, and collect goods for organizations that serve our vets, military families and our community at large. For example, we raise money for National Home which is an organization that provides temporary housing for families and children in need. In addition, we volunteer at the VA hospital and send care packages to military posts.

 

The auxiliary promotes and celebrates patriotism through the proper care and retirement of American flags. On Flag Day and Veterans Day we post flags at grave sites of the heroes who have passed on. We offer scholarships to our youth for art, writing and community service that demonstrates what patriotism means. When our membership grows we can do so much more, and more is needed.

 

The VFW Ballard Auxiliary needs members. If you have a spouse, late spouse, sibling, parent, grandparent, or child who fought in a battle in a foreign war in the American Armed Forces, you qualify to join the VFW Auxiliary. It costs $50.00 to join but our auxiliary can sponsor you if you are unable to pay the dues. The Auxiliary provides advocacy to our lawmakers on behalf of our veterans and our armed forces to protect and improve benefits for our veterans, armed forces and their families. Members in our ranks means more people who have an interest in veterans and military issues. Finally, more members in our auxiliary means that we have more people to provide all the services our community and veterans need.

 

So, what’s in it for you?  Being in the auxiliary is fun. You get to meet wonderful people who are dedicated to various projects. It is social. Last May I was involved in a group that hosted bingo for VA Hospital patients. We brought sandwiches, snacks, cake and ice cream. The patients got the chance to win vouchers for the hospital canteen. We had a blast! Last Memorial Day the post and auxiliary participated in a poppy drive in front of the QFC. People coming out of the store shared their stories of being a vet, or of the vets in their family. One lady from Britain shared her memories of doing poppy drives with her parents since she was a little girl. The auxiliary also has a scholarship program for members who face cancer that pays for treatment expenses. Your participation in the auxiliary would look great on a resume!

 

So, if you want to belong to a fun group of people who are dedicated to making a difference please consider joining the VFW Auxiliary. We would love to have you.