Nicole Koutz
2020-2021 National Historian & Media Relations Ambassador
This is a challenging time and it can be particularly hard to capture what’s going on in your Auxiliary if events are being cancelled and/or rescheduled, or if the Post Home is closed. What are you supposed to do this year?
Think outside the box!
Reach out to members in your Auxiliary and ask everyone to take pictures of the projects they are working on at home or in small groups. Piles of cards, trunks full of goodie bags, truck beds of school supplies, donations for food pantries, etc. all show that your Auxiliary is actively supporting your community during this pandemic.
Once you have photos of these projects, post them to your Auxiliary’s Facebook page. If your Auxiliary doesn’t have a Facebook page, start one! It’s free and a great way to share photos of your Auxiliary in action in your community. Make sure to put your Auxiliary’s events and everything your Auxiliary is involved within the community on the page. Share these photos on your personal Facebook page and encourage other members to do the same. Everyone needs to know what your Auxiliary is about!
As you know, the 2020 Celebrating America’s Freedom Event at the National Home, the National President’s Celebration and several Department visits have been cancelled. Though we are saddened by this, we all must move forward and do the best we can. We must continue to support National President Sandi, along with our own Department Presidents. Many have missed out, or may miss out, on things that normally happen in their Department every year.
It is important to capture the present of our organization, as the present quickly becomes the past. Do you remember what happened 10, 20 or 30 years ago? I remember some things, but I, like so many of you, need help to remember much of what happened years ago. I enjoy looking through scrapbooks, photo albums, and reading journals, letters and cards to jog my memory. Now, Facebook Memories helps me remember, too!
The who, what, when, where and why of an event is so important to the story – and history – of the VFW Auxiliary. Take pictures (and write down who is in them), keep newspaper articles or print out online news articles about what is going on in your community, your state, our country and the world.
This year is truly one in which we must tell our story – the story of the VFW Auxiliary and the impact we have on our communities. I think the year 2020 will definitely go down in history and you’re probably thinking the same.
Are you capturing your Auxiliary’s history? If not, it is time to start.
