Ladies Auxiliary VFW Hosts National President
by STEPHANIE CRIDER
Jean Clark joined the Ladies Auxilliary in the late
1960s. Soon after that she paid a visit to the VA
Hospital where she met a 23 year-old paralyzed
veteran. She fed him ice cream because he was not
able to feed himself.
"I left that place in tears and I told my husband I
could never go back there," said Clark.
Forty-five years later, she's been back countless
times and has served in several capacities with the
Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
This year, she is the chairman of the National Lady's
Auxiliary President's visit, which is scheduled to take
place Nov. 21-23.
Each year the National President of the Ladies
Auxiliary VFW visits each state. This year President
Armithea "Sissy" Borel's visit to North Carolina will
be to Fayetteville and Hope Mills. In addition to
hosting VFW Auxiliary members from all over North
Carolina on a visit to Fort Bragg and Pope Army
Airfield, and a visit to the VA Hospital and dinner,
Borel will oversee the installation of a Junior Girls
Auxiliary VFW unit.
"These girls mostly come from Fort Bragg," said
Clark. "The junior girls can do a lot of things and they are
a fantastic group. This experience will ready them to be
an auxiliary member. It is teaching them so that at 16 they Ladies Auxiliary VFW Armithea "Sissy" Borel is set to
can join the Ladies Auxiliary."
visit Fayetteville Nov. 21-23.
Junior Auxiliary members range in age from 5-16 years
old and must be related to a man who has served in a
combat zone to join, Clark said. This is also a requirement for the Ladies Auxiliary. attend, call Jean Clark
WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM
While visiting VA hospitals is a big part of the
Auxiliary, the group's reach extends into many other
areas, too. "We help the veterans," said Clark. "We
help them and their families. We have scholarship
programs. We raise money for cancer aid and
research. We host a Buddy Poppy drive and the money
we raise from it goes into a relief fund that can only
be used for vets and their families."
The Auxiliary also has programs like the Americanism
Program, which promotes patriotism and teaches
students about American heritage. Auxiliary members
are also active in keeping members informed about
bills relating to veterans, their dependents, active-duty
military and national security. Youth activities programs
include initiatives that support the military as well as
sponsoring the Boy and Girl Scouts, 4-H Clubs and
sports teams.
Locally, the VFW Ladies Auxiliary works closely
with Gold Star Mothers and Wreaths Across America
to purchase wreaths for the heroes buried in Sandhills
Veterans Cemetery in Spring Lake. The goal is to place a
wreath at each of the 4,500 graves in the cemetery during
the Christmas holidays.
Find out more about the Ladies Auxiliary to the VFW at
www.ladiesauxvfw.org. To find out more
about the National President of the Ladies
Auxiliary
STEPHANIE CRIDER, Editor.
VFW's visit
COMMENTS? Editor@upandcominand how to
gweekly.com.
at 425-0915.
NOVEMBER 6-12, 2013 UCW
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