We assist veterans and their families.
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The VFW Auxiliary is one of the nation’s oldest veterans’ service organizations and
our members are the relatives of those who have served in overseas combat. We
have nearly 465,000 members nationwide who volunteer millions of hours and
fundraise millions of dollars for charitable projects that benefit veterans, military
service personnel, and their families. Through our National Programs, we assi
st the VFW pass or block legislation that
impacts veterans and their families, provide nearly a million volunteer hours in
the VA medical system, conduct patriotic programs with thousands of students
and offer hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships for our nation’s youth. With more than 4,000 Auxiliaries, there is likely one in your area working to
improve the lives of America’s uncommon heroes.
🎉🎉 Congratulations to all District 20 Auxiliaries who received awards from Department Convention! District 20 Auxiliary President Guyette Calles stands proudly next to her District members as she presents them with their awards at their recent District meeting. Way to go District 20 Auxiliaries!! 💙🤍❤️
In the 2023-2024 National Program Book, you will find details about all 12 of our National Programs. You can also see what National Ambassadors have to say about their respective Programs and their areas of focus for the Program Year.
To access, log into your MALTA account and go to Member Resources in the blue bar. It will be the first of three in the center of the page, to the right of the sidebar. The National Program Book will then be found to the far left, as pictured.
What's your One Sentence Why?
Are you a Veteran who deployed to a combat zone but never enrolled in VA health care?
If you left active duty between September 11, 2001, and October 1, 2013, you should apply today — the deadline is September 30, 2023.
Don't wait until Sept. 30.
For more information visit U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: https://www.va.gov/health-care/how-to-apply/ or contact a VFW Dept of PA Service Officer or Claims Consultant.
Tina Hinkle
2023/2024 Department of Pennsylvania Veterans & Family Support Chairman
Find out how to apply for VA health care benefits as a Veteran or service member.
A big thank you to Junior Vice President, Robin Kohler for taking us to see the Lycoming County Veterans Memorial Park on our way back from On-the-road Training.
We spent the day in North-Central PA in Duboistown, conducting an On-the-road Training. Members from District 15 and District 9 were present. Thank you to Leroy O. Buck Post 7863 for hosting our session, and thanks to all who attended.
We want to thank all of those who attended On-the-Road Training, yesterday. Selinsgrove VFW Post 6631 was a terrific host for our group.
⚠️EXTENDED DEADLINE: Veterans and survivors now have until Monday, August 14 at 11:59pm ET to file your PACT Act claim—or submit your intent to file—and be eligible for benefits backdated to August 10, 2022.⚠️
Take advantage of this extension and file now at http://VA.gov/PACT or with a VFW Dept of PA Service Officer or Claims Consultant.
Tina Hinkle
2023/2024 Department of Pennsylvania Veterans & Family Support Chairman
Veterans and survivors! There's no deadline to apply for PACT Act benefits, but if you file your claim—or submit an intent to file—by this Monday, Aug. 14 at 11:59pm ET, you may be eligible for benefits backdated to August 10, 2022. Apply today at www.VA.gov/PACT.
Auxiliary Outreach
This program provides an opportunity to work with organizations in our communities. Suggestions on where to look for organizations include local newspapers, billboards along the highways in your area and pages for local fire companies. Your Auxiliary will need to make a motion to accept volunteer hours for Auxiliary Outreach prior to the event. Remember to report members/hours volunteered each month NOT AFFILIATED WITH VFW OR VFW AUXILIARY PROGRAMS.
Loyally,
Kimberly Grundon
Auxiliary Outreach Department Chairman
🤔 Need a great idea for a memorial gift in memory/honor of a loved one?
Why not make your gift go further and help a resource that aids Veterans and families in many ways!!!? Join forces with VFW National Home Brick Campaign! 🧱🧱🧱
Each brick is only a $100 donation....creating a permanent legacy of caring. Your purchase includes a commemorative certificate with a representation of your brick.
You can request a form by emailing [email protected] or purchase/donate online at https://vfwnationalhome.org/you-can-help/tribute-bricks/
Amy Peterson
Buddy Poppy - National Home
Department Chairman
Yesterday morning brought the greetings of the 2022-2023 Commander-in-Chief of the VFW, Tim Borland.
We then moved into the nomination of National Officers, where PDPs Bette Jean Biedrzycki and Bonnie Eichelberger nominated PA's own Donna Mills for National Chaplain.
This morning was the Presentation of the 2023-2024 Department Presidents to the then Sr. Vice President Carla Martinez. Following that, Madam National President Jane Reape returned to the meeting and nominations and election of the National Officers ensued.
PA's Donna Mills was installed as National Chaplain, Karen Hoover was installed as National Council Member Area A, Carolyn Hook was installed as National Musician and we could not be more proud of these individuals!
Ended the evening with a little bit of shaky leg Elvis!
Today's business session started off with the introduction of our VFW Auxiliary Past National Presidents followed by some in-depth discussions about changes to our by-laws. Following that was the Patriotic Rally where Commander-in-Chief Tim Borland received a pie to the face from National Auxiliary President Jane Reape!
We are at the hard work our 2022-2023 Department Chairmen put forward and have plenty to show for it! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
👉🏻 Yesterday afternoon, the Department of PA Auxiliary Line Officers attended the Auxiliary's Opening Business Session.
Yesterday morning at the National Convention Joint Opening, the delegation from PA showed up in force to cheer on Immediate Past State Commander Henry Mannella as he achieved All-American State Commander for his 2022-2023 term of office. 💙🤍❤️ Congratulations sir! You worked hard and it all paid off! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
This morning members from the Department of PA VFW and its Auxiliary attended the joint memorial service. It was a beautiful and moving ceremony.
Congratulations to the Department of PA 2022-2023 Auxiliary President, Valerie DeCorte, for attaining the prestigious Circle Of Excellence! We are of everyone's hard work this past year! Without our Auxiliary brothers and sisters working behind the scenes with our President, this achievement would not have been possible!
Big Congratulations to all the Auxiliary Department Presidents that were welcomed into the Circle of Excellence this year!
Join us on the live stream as we root for our 2022-2023 Department of PA Auxiliary President, Valerie DeCorte, to make it into the Circle of Excellence!
💙🤍❤️ Members of the Department of PA Auxiliary are kicking off the VFW Auxiliary National Convention by attending the Eastern Conference meeting. We are looking forward to a wonderful week of events and time spent with our Auxiliary brothers and sisters from abroad!
👉🏻 Join us in Phoenix from PA! Live streaming is available for the national convention. See details below!
in “the Valley of the Sun,” Phoenix, Arizona!
We are so excited to welcome members from across the country and abroad and we also look forward to bringing as much as we can to those of you at home via live streaming.
When it is time to stream, an icon will appear in your toolbar in MALTA, near where you can currently find Cancer Grants. This will read either Live Stream or Live Streaming. Click on that to watch in your browser on your computer or other device.
Thank you to Amwins for sponsoring our VFW Auxiliary National Convention!
Congratulations to PA's own Sarah Smith for being named a "Woman to Watch" in Central PA! We are of you! Keep up the amazing work!
Here's a link to the full article!
https://phisigmapi.org/blog/director-member-engagement-named-woman-watch-central-pennsylvania
‼️ Attention Auxiliary Members - MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Here's the information for our Program & Auxiliary Training that will be taking place August 4-5 in Gettysburg at the Eisenhower Hotel. Please contact Department HQ if you have any questions.
A message from your 2023-2024 Veterans and Family Support Chairman, Tina Hinkle
Be sure to check out the latest issue! 👇🏼
Don’t miss the July 2023 issue of VFW Auxiliary Magazine! Find it online by clicking the following link: https://www.qgdigitalpublishing.com/publication/?i=795542
Stories include:
· Continuing Education Scholarship Winners
· 2023-2024 Department Presidents
· Mid-Year Conference 2024 – Save the date!
· VFW Auxiliary National President Carla Martinez’s Special Joint Project
· National Programs News
The editors of VFW Auxiliary Magazine want to know what you think about features and articles you see in the magazine. Have a magazine submission or story idea? Send submissions to [email protected], Attn: Editor-in-Chief
⚠️ REMEMBER MALTA IS DOWN UNTIL JULY 5! ⚠️
ATTENTION MEMBERS:
MALTA is currently down for system and Member Resource updates. MALTA will become available again on July 5, 2023, at which time you will again be able to access your accounts, make changes, enter new information and find the resources you'll need for the 2023-2024 Program Year.
Thank you for your patience!
Welcome Auxiliaries to Dept of PA's 2023-2024 "Let Freedom Ring" year!!!
I can't wait to get started on this new chairmanship, BUDDY POPPY-NATIONAL HOME!!!
I'm all 'Poppy"-ed up!!! 🤣Are you???
Remind your chairmen that it's ALWAYS a good time to distribute poppies and information about our National Home! Order supplies, design flyers & SHARE with others, let's have the best year ever! "Banding Together for Our Veterans" -Amy Peterson, Chairman
Today is PTSD Awareness Day and I would like to share what the National Auxiliary shared.
Thank you!
Tina Hinkle
Department Chairman 2023-2024 – Veterans and Family Support
Today is PTS(D)* Awareness Day.
According to the below-linked article from the VFW website, “Post-Traumatic Stress… is a mental health problem you may develop after experiencing traumatic events. The condition was first recognized in war veterans. It has had different names in the past, such as ‘shell shock,’ but it is not only diagnosed in solders. A wide range of traumatic experiences can trigger PTSD.”
To read more about the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress, check out the VFW’s article here:
https://www.vfw.org/media-and-events/latest-releases/archives/2022/3/ptsd-the-invisible-wounds
*PTS, or Post-Traumatic Stress, was formerly known as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. There has been a push to remove "disorder" in an attempt to destigmatize and better describe it.
WHAT'S OUR NUMBER WEDNESDAY?
105.04%
Way to reach our growth goal, PA!!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Thank you for a fantastic year!
Andrea Meintel
2022-2023 Membership Chairman
WHAT'S OUR NUMBER WEDNESDAY?
PA MEMBERSHIP IS 104.82%
Fantastic job, everyone!
Can we get to 105% by June 30th?
Yes, we can!!
Thanks for a Great Convention and an Outstanding Year! Andrea Meintel
This artwork is amazing. Look at all the fine details. Well done, Brooke! And best of luck at the National Convention! 💙🤍❤️
2023 VFW Auxiliary Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest
Department of Pennsylvania
“The Power of One”
Brooke Wise
12th Grade | Conneaut Area Senior High
Sponsored by VFW Auxiliary 7842 | Linesville, PA
Throughout the month of June, we are showcasing the Department (state) winners of the 2023 VFW Auxiliary Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest! Department entries in the National contest will be judged at National Headquarters. A total of $34,000 will be awarded to thirteen (13) students with the first-place National winner receiving a $15,000 scholarship. Winners will be announced during National Convention, along with the winners of the 3-Dimensional Patriotic Art Contest and Illustrating America. These contests, sponsored annually by the , recognize up-and-coming artists and encourage patriotism in youth.
Did you miss the mock Flag Retirement Ceremony held at this year's Department Convention? If you did, be sure to visit our website, www.vfwauxpa.org, and check under the announcements!
Here's the link to the video http://youtu.be/rw8y5MBRUtE
Today, at the Joint Opening Session of the PA VFW and Auxiliary State Convention, I was ecstatic to announce that PA Membership is 104.69%. Thank you to all of our members for your unwavering support!
Andrea Meintel,
Department Membership Chairman
Myself and PA VFW Senior Vice Commander David Spike Gyger attended VFW Post and Auxiliary 6631's Flag Retirement Ceremony and Fire Pit Dedication. Construction of the fire pit was Zach Martin's scouting project. New Bloomfield VFW Post 7463 Honor Guard performed the Thirteen Folds of the Flag.
WHAT'S OUR NUMBER WEDNESDAY?
104.59%
PA VFWAUX is the best!!!
Andrea Meintel
Department Membership Chairman
Tips from Chief of Staff Bobbie Lawrence
Suggested ways to increase attendance at Auxiliary meetings in no particular order (taken from the Healthy Checkups)
Mailing info to members with a calendar
Phone calls
Offer free memberships
Offer rides
Have a small raffle, prize drawing
Publicize on a website, newsletter
Food
Alternate days and times
Zoom meetings
Blast emails
Offer incentives
Door prizes
Did you try any of these ideas? Did they work?
We “Respect…Honor…Remember” our Veterans and have “Hands that Serve, Hearts that Care”.
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Harrisburg, PA
17109
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Central Pennsylvania Food Bank
Corey Road InPennsylvania Medical Society Alliance
E Park DriveDauphin County Medical Society
Winding Creek Boulevard, MechanicsburgUS Army Harrisburg Recruiting Center
Union Deposit Road
Communities in Schools of Pennsylvania
N Front Street
Pennsylvania Medical Society Alliance
E Park Drive
Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Dist
Stevenson Avenue
Lower Paxton Township Historical Commission
Prince Street
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Fulton Street
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North Second Street
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