Mary Ryser
2021-2022 Auxiliary Community Outreach Ambassador
Demonstrating Love for our Community
Our members have been amazing and continue to do amazing work. I want to thank all the Auxiliaries who stepped up to help communities during last year’s natural disasters. Members helped the victims of fires, floods and tornados throughout the country. I’ve seen members working with their neighbors alongside other organizations to help clean mud out of homes and to aid displaced or injured animals. They teamed up with local Fire Departments, the Red Cross and Salvation Army to help provide services. We are the “Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary!” Here’s to you, my heroes.
Contact these agencies about opportunities to partner and provide support to your communities. Take this information to your Auxiliary meetings and propose an Auxiliary Community Outreach project. Once the Auxiliary has voted to approve a partnership, you may participate in qualifying outreach activities to benefit our communities and shine a light on who we are and what we do.
Team with Red Cross Disaster Action Team (DAT)
Every day people are forced from their homes due to fires, storms and other disasters. Single- and multi-family fires account for 90% of disaster responses. You can be part of a team that helps and responds to over 60,000 emergencies every year. From offering a caring and compassionate ear, to meeting the disaster-related needs of individuals and households connecting them with long term recovery services, our volunteers ensure that families don’t have to face tough times alone. Consider proposing outreach activities to your Auxiliary. Training is provided. Visit redcross.org for more information.
National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (L.E.A.D.)
In light of recent negativity directed toward law enforcement nationally, there is a need to show law enforcement officers that our members and citizens recognize the difficult and sometimes deadly job that they perform to keep us safe. National Law Enforcement Day is a day to recognize your local Police Departments & Highway Patrol within our communities.
Attention Auxiliaries- Collage of First Responders- You are to send a copy of the collage to your Department Auxiliary Community Outreach Chairman. The copy should be an 8 ½ x 11. The original can be any size.
AWARDS FOR AUXILIARIES 1. Most outstanding photo collage featuring Auxiliary members volunteering with first responders at their community activity and/or event.
- Citation to every Auxiliary that submits a photo collage featuring Auxiliary members volunteering with first responders at their community activity and/or event. Criteria and entry form (required) available at vfwauxiliary.org/resources. Auxiliaries must send the entry form to their Department Auxiliary Community Outreach Chairman by March 31, 2022. The Department Auxiliary Community Outreach Chairman must send a copy of all submitted entry forms to National Headquarters by April 30, 2022. Citations will be mailed directly to participating Auxiliaries from National Headquarters.
- Citation and $25 to one Auxiliary in each of the four Conferences with the most outstanding photo collage featuring Auxiliary members volunteering with first responders at their community activity and/or event. Winners will be announced and awards presented at the 2022 National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri.
The Department Auxiliary Community Outreach Chairman must sign and send a copy of the completed Department-winning entry form to the National Auxiliary Community Outreach Ambassador by April 30, 2022 for judging.