Youth Activities: Are You Involved?

Fall is here and there are many activities that you can become involved in.

• Fall holidays are upon us: Halloween, Veterans Day and Thanksgiving. You can involve our youth and offer opportunities to assist you in an activity your Auxiliary may be doing in your community.
  • Halloween: Sponsor a trunk-or-treat and dress up in your favorite costume. Our kids love to see adults participate. Schools also have fall harvest parties where the kids come in costume, play fun games and receive candy. Contact the person in charge to see if you can participate by setting up a table with games and/or candy give out and, of course, have available copies of all entry forms for participating in our Illustrating America contest and Get Excited for the Red, White, and Blue! singing contest. You could also provide patriotic books as prizes if you are having fun-filled games for the kids.
  • Veterans Day: If you are having a parade, invite our youth to participate. Some schools allow their students to participate in the parades on a school day. Have available American Flags to give out to participants as well as those viewing from the sidelines. And, of course, have available the R.A.P. cards for youth.
  • Thanksgiving: Ask the youth to help veterans, service members and their families experiencing food insecurity by donating canned goods at sports games you and youth will be attending and donate to a local food bank. Hunger is prevalent and this is one way to help combat food insecurity. Just one nonperishable food item helps and you can also include the community.

Winter and cold weather will be here soon and in some areas of our country, that cold weather is already present. Find ways to involve youth in collecting hats, mittens/gloves and coats for veterans in need in your community.

Youth Contests –

• Get Excited for the Red, White, and Blue! National anthem singing contest

Open to youth in grades K-8 and 9-12

• Illustrating America

Art contest for students in grades K-2, 3-5 and 6-8

All contest information and entry forms for both contests available through vfwauxiliary.org/resources “Youth Activities.” There are many tools to promote the contests and colorful flyers for advertising.

Patriotism through Literacy –

• Continue to support your local libraries and school and teacher libraries by donating patriotic books for youth.
• Nov. 1 is National Authors Day! This is a great day to support Patriotism Through Literacy and teach children about America.

There are so many wonderful activities that Auxiliaries are doing for our youth. I would remind you to report them to your Department Chairman for their inclusion in reporting to me. Who knows one of your activities could be featured in a SWAP.