VFW Auxiliary Hosts Remote Meeting
Officers of the busy VFW Auxiliary of Post 5254 voted to hold their March 17 meeting using the Teleconference model directed by the National VFW Auxiliary as a solution to the intrusion of the Covid-19 Pandemic.
President Vicki Latapie presided, opening prayer was said and other rituals were not held. Five officers and one member participated in the conference call.Reports from Treasurer Anna Boyd, Secretary Marilyn Kothmann and two committee members were e-mailed to those participating prior to the conference call.
The minutes and treasurer’s report from the February meeting were approved.
Importance to veterans is the Legislative Report by Elizabeth Kallus taken from the March 6th issue of VFW Action Corps Weekly. Rep. T.J Cox (D-CA) introduced VFW supported H.R. 6082, The Forgotten Vietnam Veterans Act. This important legislation would allow veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam from Nov. 1, 1955 to Feb. 27, 1961 to receive wartime benefits, which hadn’t been in effect for those veterans prior to Feb. 28, 1961. The VFW supports this legislation and thanks Rep. Cox and the co-sponsors for their efforts to expand benefits for veterans.
Kallus also shared the MIA Report from VFW Action Corps Weekly which the Defense POW/ MIA Accounting Agency announced the identifications of American servicemen who had been missing and unaccounted for. Returning home for burial with full military honors were 19 servicemen: 17 WWII and 2 Korean War.
Youth Activities Chair Barbara Brauner’s report included the new program promoted by the National VFW Auxiliary, Patriotism through Literacy. Five members of the Auxiliary attended the morning assembly of the Sacred Heart School students and teachers on March 4 to present the school with 5 patriotic books to the students and the school librarian Chris Kosler. All were appreciative of the books.
Under new business, all were reminded that the End of Year Reports are due April 10 to the District president. A brief discussion was held concerning the inability now to bring cookies to the VA clinic to honor the nurses. It was decided that our Auxiliary would send letters of thanks to doctors and nurses. Jeannie Bertsch will give letters to the hospital in San Antonio where people who have the Corona Virus are being quarantined. Latapie will write the letters to medical personnel in Austin where she and her husband have check-ups and Brauner will write letters to the La Grange medical personnel.
Members voted to send a monetary Love Gift to out-going District 28 District Auxiliary President Sharry Tutt per standing rules. The meeting concluded with a prayer until the April 21 meeting.