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Membership April 25

Barbara Franklin

Mississippi – Membership Wrap Up

As I write this, the Department of Mississippi is so, so close to being 100% in membership!! That is a testament to the dedication and commitment of each and every one of you. It reflects the value placed in our organization’s work and

mission. Our strength as an organization lies in our membership.

Reaching 100% is not just a number; it is a statement of strength.

It means

· more hands to help,

· more voices to advocate,

· and a greater impact in the lives of those who have sacrificed for our freedom.

This achievement is possible because of you, yes, you in the north, south, east and west! You All Are The Best!

We applaud Your efforts to recruit, retain, and engage members.

Acknowledging Our Members

I would also like to take a moment to recognize and celebrate the achievements of our members. Whether you have been a member for many years or are new to our Auxiliary, your contributions are deeply appreciated.

As we move forward, let us continue to support and uplift one another, always keeping our mission at the forefront of our efforts. Together, we can achieve great things and make a lasting impact on the lives of our veterans and their families.

Thank you for all that you do.

I look forward to seeing you at State Convention in June!

Continue to get Our Ask in Gear and Keep your Motors RUNNING and Keep those members coming!!

Yours in service,

Barbara Franklin

Department Membership Chair

2024-2025

Mississippi – Membership End of (2024-2025) Year Wrap Up

Stats as of March 31, 2025

Mississippi = 99.97% in paid Membership

Life New = 30

Annual New = 87

Annual Rejoin = 6

Converted to Life = 48

Deceased = 42

Total Auxiliaries at 100% = 7 Total Districts at 100+% =1

101+% = 4 102+% = 1 102+% = 3 104+% = 1

103+% = 3 107+% = 1

104+% = 1 115+% = 1

105+% = 1

106+% = 1

108+% = 1

109+% = 1

112+% = 1

RECRUITERS

A Grand Total of 41 Members recruited New Auxiliary members into our organization!

A W E S O M E!!!

MALTA activated members range in age from 17 to 92, with 11 Auxiliaries having 20 or more members registered.

COMMUNICATION with members

Over 750 total Dues Reminder Letters were emailed to members in November 2024 & March 2025.

Received email updates monthly from 1 member.

Received updates/email summary update from 4 Auxiliary Presidents.

Youth April 25

Beth Crow 662-522-9481 email

Hi everyone. The year is winding down and we have had a great year. I have already received numerous entries in the Illustrating America Contest. I hope to receive many more. Remember the deadline for having your entries turned into the Department is April 15.

I hope that you all have Youth Activities planned for this Spring, Easter Egg Hunts, community projects, and much more. Working with our youth has to be a priority. Continue reading to them and teaching the values that have made this country so great. They are our future and deserve our time and attention

Shout Out to St. James Wright VFW Auxiliary 5347 for participating in the Read Across America event at Hawkins Elementary School. They read, A is for America and The Worn -Out Flag to over 75 children that day. Youth Chairman, Lonnie Harger, reported that the children were “incredibly engaged, asking thoughtful questions about the Statue of Liberty and even wondering when we might have a female president one day”. That is exactly what the Youth Program should be, teaching and inspiring young people to be their best. Congratulations St James Wright for a job well done!

I will announce the winners of Illustrating America at our State Convention. Until then please keep doing great work and stay safe.

Americanism April 25

Dawn Lawson 601-274-6407 email

This month we celebrate and remember our Past and our Future. Our Past is held in esteem while remembering Jesus rising from the Tomb and why he died in the first place. We pray for our Soldiers protecting us from harm and not being home with us. We are thankful for every Veteran who has ever served and the sacrifices they made in doing so. It is so true “Some gave All”. Please keep everyone in your thoughts and prayers 💕🙏

Veterans and Family Support Mar 25

Monica Jones 769-299-8133 email

UNITING TO COMBAT HUNGER & HOMELESSNESS (UTCH) GRANT


In 2018 the VFW joined forces with Humana to establish the Uniting to Combat Hunger (UTCH) campaign. As of October 2024, the initiative has raised the equivalent of more than 5.6 million meals to address food insecurity in America. This year we are excited to expand the program in support of an additional underserved veteran population: Veterans experiencing homelessness. The ‘H’ in UTCH also now stands for homelessness, as we seek to provide a new means of support for homeless veterans. To reward the efforts of VFW Posts and Auxiliaries supporting the campaign, the VFW Foundation (VFWF) offers the UTCH Grant.

Join us in our fight against food insecurity and homelessness. The Uniting to Combat Hunger & Homelessness (UTCH) Grant is a matching grant of up to $1,500 available to VFW Posts and Auxiliaries for monetary and food donations to local food banks, pantries and homeless shelters in their communities.

For more details on the UTCH Grant or to apply, visit vfwfoundation.org/Grants.

For more information about UTCH, please contact the VFW Foundation at 

Americanism March 2025

Dawn Lawson 601-274-6407 email report form

This month we Honor and Remember our Veterans in 2 very important dates:
Medal of Honor (3/25) and
National Vietnam War Veterans
Day (3/29)

Please take the time to thank a Veteran and their family for their sacrifices. Please always Honor them – even the small gestures count: a cup of coffee & chat, buy a meal, take a meal to them, run errands, take to appointments, or even a card.
They’ve given us so much – it’s pay back time. Step Up!!

Youth March 2025

Beth Crow 662-522-9481 email report form

Hi everyone. Spring is just around the corner. Everyone should be keeping in touch with their contacts for the Illustrating America Contest. The deadline for the art to be submitted is March 31. After your Auxiliary chooses your winners, your submissions must be turned into the Department by April 15. They are due at National Headquarters by May 5. We have a very tight schedule so please submit your entries in a timely manner. Remember there are three categories, K-2, 3-5, and 6-8. You may submit one entry per category to the Department for judging.

Spring offers all manner of opportunities to work with youth groups. We have St. Patrick’s Day in March, Easter coming up in April and Memorial Day in May. A great opportunity to work with our youth is to observe Dr. Suess Day on March 2. Why not read a Dr. Suess book to a class or group of children. You could even dress the part, like the Cat in the Hat, or have breakfast with Green Eggs and Ham. Please make an effort to include children in your Memorial Day observance. We need to teach them the importance of the sacrifices made so they can live in freedom.

I look forward to receiving all of your entries for Illustrating America. Contact me for my address and please make sure you package them well so that they are not damaged in transport. Be sure to mark the packages as Fragile, Art Work. We are having issues with USPS packages for our area getting stuck in Jackson, sometimes for weeks. Please mail your packages with tracking numbers and mail them as many days ahead of the deadline as you can. Also please shoot me an email or text that something is on its way so I can be on the lookout for it. Thanks for all of your help.

Historian March 25

Lisa Thompson 662-586-8870 email report form

March 31st Historian and Media Relations Award – Judging Due 

As you ponder the entries for these events 

There are important deadlines coming up also

March 31 – Illustrating America

March 31 – Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest

March 31 – 3-Dimensional Patriotic Art Contest

April 30 – The VFW’s “Sport Clips Help A Hero” Scholarshipthere is another deadline approaching
The Historian and Media Relations AwardYes it is a real thing!! Who hit the markWho deserves the award
On March 31st your entries for the “Best Historian and Media Relations” Auxiliary are due for judgingthink about who hit all the platformsC of A presentationsFacebook and InstagramLocal NewspaperLocal TVBrochuresQR CodesHashtagsScrapbooksWhen submitting use the form attachedmust includeVFW Auxiliary NameVFW Auxiliary NumberDepartment NameDescribe the training or education promoting the VFW Auxiliary Programs to the community thruthe media resources listed above (flyers, brochures,social media posts, newsletterse-newsletters, photos and videos
Awards for Auxiliaries

Most outstanding promotion of the VFW Auxiliary Programs to the community through social media resources

Citations and $25 to one VFW Auxiliary in each of the 11 Program Divisions with the most

outstanding promotion of the VFW Auxiliary Programs to the community through all social media platforms

Citations will be mailed directly to the winning VFW Auxiliaries from National Headquarters and money will be

deposited into the winning VFW Auxiliary account after the 2025 VFW National Convention in Columbus Ohio

Youth Feb 25

Beth Crow 662-522-9481 email

Happy Valentines Day to everyone. The Youth Program is moving right along. Did you know that Valentines Week is also National Salute to Veteran Patients Week? Get your schools and youth groups involved in making Valentines for our veterans that are hospitalized or confined to a nursing home. The veterans would love a handmade valentine from one of the kids.

As promised, the winners of our coloring contest were announced at Mid-Winter Conference. The winner of the K-2nd grade group is Derrick, from Johnson Elementary School in Jackson. Derrick is sponsored by Brooks W. Stewart Auxiliary Post 9832. The winner of the 3rd-5th grade group is Kaylee, from Hawking Elementary in Hattisburg. Kaylee is sponsored by Saint James Wright Auxiliary Post 5397. They were each awarded an Art Set and $10.00 to spend as they wish.

I hope all of you have your Illustrating America Contest underway and are keeping in contact with your schools and youth groups about the deadlines. The deadline for the art to be turned into the Auxiliaries is March 31. The Auxiliary winners must be sent to Department by April 15.

.

Make sure you print new forms as there are changes to the rules.

The SWAP this month is from Brooks W. Stewart Auxiliary Post 9832 in Jackson. This is the second year that the Auxiliary and Post are jointly sponsoring the Heart Over the Hammer Event. This event targets teens and young adults, providing them with tools and resources to cope with the challenges of today’s society. The event offers health screenings, mental health counseling, career counseling, and much more. The goal is to provide our youth outlets and solutions before they encounter difficulties, by creating a meaningful exchange of thoughts and ideas between the generations. Heart Over the Hammer is scheduled for March 8, 2025, 10:00am-2:00pm at Brooks W. Stewart VFW Post 9832.

I love sharing SWAPS with you. Please email me details about your youth events so I can share them with Auxiliaries across the state. My email is . Thanks for all of your hard work.

Scholarships Feb 25

Lanell Thornton (662)549-2856 email

The Love Boat . . .

Art – exciting and new,

Come aboard, we’re expecting you!

Love is in the air and so are the Patriotic Art Contests!

Yes, I got a little cheesy with the title this month, and I would LOVE to see those entries coming in for the Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest and the 3-Dimensional Patriotic Art Contest. There are so many talented youngsters in our neighborhoods, churches, schools, and youth organizations, just waiting to shine their talents on us.

Get out and share the information with our youth in grades 9-12 about these two contests. Be sure to remind them to read ALL of the information regarding the entries so they are aware of what they are required to do for their submissions. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there have been so many wonderful entries that were disqualified because of failure to read and follow the rules of the contests. If you are a Facebook user, I encourage you to join the National VFW Auxiliary page and look for the individual department entries that have been entered into the National spotlight. The winners will be announced and displayed at the National Convention in Columbus, OH, August 9-14, 2025.

The Continuing Education Scholarship, available for VFW Auxiliary members and their immediate family members, is fast approaching its deadline of February 15. The auxiliary member must have been a member for at least 1 year. Only their immediate family members (self, spouse, and children) are eligible to apply. Four (4) recipients are chosen each year by the National VFW Auxiliary. Each of these recipients represents the four conferences in the VFW and its Auxiliary: Big 10, Southern, Western, and Eastern. The award amount is $1250 and is paid directly to the university, college, or trade school of the recipient’s choice.

Just a friendly reminder of future deadlines:

· February 15, 2025 – Continuing Education Scholarship for VFW Auxiliary members and immediate family (spouse and children)

· March 31, 2025 – Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest (grades 9-12)

· March 31, 2025 – 3-Dimensional Patriotic Art Contest (grades 9-1

Historian Feb 25

Lisa Thompson 662-586-8870 email

Your Auxiliary, District, or Department website should be informative for 

both members and those interested in becoming members of the VFW Auxiliary

Make sure to include

1) A “Join Us” or “Become a Member” Menu Item or Button on the Home Page 

it is important for potential members to know how they can join the VFW Auxiliary

2) Contact Information – State your Auxiliary District or Department 

their address phone number and email address so members and potential members can reach you easily 

3) the “About Us” tab – Sharing information about your Auxiliary District or Department 

a) When the Auxiliary District or Department was charted

b) A list of Officers 

c) Your Auxiliary District or Department involvement within the community

4) Information about VFW Auxiliary Programs 

a)Share information about the programs the VFW Auxiliary offers 

b) Provide examples of how your Auxiliary District or Department is involved in each program or link to the respective Program Page 

on the National Organizations website 

5) Calendar of Events 

a) you want your members to be active in your Auxiliary

b) Make sure members can easily find information about upcoming meetings and events 

6) Resources – Links to other sites

a) VFW Auxiliary National Organization

b) VFW National Organization

c) VFW Store

d) VFW National Home for Children

e) Military & Veteran Family Helpline

Be sure to include links to your Auxiliary,District or Department’s Facebook page or other social media 

To insure a proper website I prefer checking out these website web builders

A) Google Sites

B) Go Daddy – Go Daddy

C) WIX – WIX

It’s February y’all – let’s put a little LOVE into it too

Don’t forget the Who What When Where and Why

♥️