General Orders #5 December, 2016

Transcription

1 4002 Fenton Avenue VFW AUXILIARY Harrisburg, PA Phone: (717) DEPARTMENT OF PENNSYLVANIA Fax: (717) General Orders #5 December, 2016 TO BE READ AT THE FIRST MEETING FOLLOWING RECEIPT BEFORE BEING FILED FOR REFERENCE: 1. Congratulations to the Auxiliaries that have reached 100% Plus in Membership for the year District 1 Auxiliary 7650; District 8 Auxiliary 11322; District 10 Auxiliary 6520; District 14 Auxiliary 5642; District 15 Auxiliary 8730; District 18 Auxiliary 477; District 19 Auxiliary 8755; District 20 Auxiliary 509 and 7215; District 22 Auxiliaries 8709, 6321 and 8724; District 24 Auxiliary 764 and District 28 Auxiliary 6233! I also congratulate the following Auxiliaries who have reached 100% in Membership for You are ONE member away from the 100% Plus achievement District 7 Auxiliary 974; District 27 Auxiliary 3368 and District 29 Auxiliaries 5756 and 7090! Touchdown Fever is taking over PA! 2. The membership year is from January 1 to December 31. A member who does not pay their dues by December 31 st is not a member in good standing. January 1 st that member has no Auxiliary rights, they cannot attend meetings and cannot hold an office. All Auxiliary, District and Department Presidents, Secretaries and Treasurers PLEASE PAY your 2017 dues immediately and mail them to Department Headquarters so they are received no later than December 15, 2016 to guarantee 2017 dues payment prior to January 1, No checks should be written by an Auxiliary Treasurer unless it is voted on and approved at a regular meeting. All checks must contain two signatures. 4. Eastern States Conference November 18-20, 2016 Thank you very much to PA VFW Auxiliary Eastern States Conference Chairman, Karen Hoover, The VFW Department of Pennsylvania and all members who assisted in making the Eastern States Conference held in Camp Hill, PA a true success! Karen and I received many compliments concerning the Conference and I thank you again Karen for a job well done! 5. I hope to see many of you at the VFW Mid-Winter Conference January 19-22, 2016 at the DoubleTree Hotel by Hilton, Pittsburgh - Green Tree, PA. Information concerning this Conference can be found on the Department Web Site at The VFW Auxiliary Department of Pennsylvania will hold a Mid-Winter Workshop where you can ask questions about anything you wish! It will be a fun and beneficial weekend celebrating the winners of the Voice of Democracy and Patriot s Pen Essay Contests. The Council of Administration meeting will be held on Saturday, January 21 st at 2:00 p.m.

2 6. As Department Chief of Staff, Bonnie K. Eichelberger, and I continue our visits to your District and VA Medical Centers we thank you for all the gifts, cards, hugs and hospitality extended to us. We believe in UNWAVERING SUPPORT FOR UNCOMMON HEROES and NO ONE continues SERVING AMERICA S HEROES as well as the VFW Auxiliary Department of Pennsylvania. We look forward to meeting many of you as we continue to travel across the state. 7. Always remember Each and Every Auxiliary Member has rights. What are those rights? Only an Auxiliary can challenge a member s eligibility. Only the National President can revoke a member s membership. No member can be deprived of rights without due process and every member can appeal any of the above. 8. I wish for you a very Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year 2017! 9. Monthly Promotional Letters are to be given to your Auxiliary and/or District Chairman at the next meeting and presented on the floor. NOTE: General Orders are available on the website at and on the VFW Auxiliary Department of Pennsylvania Facebook page at (Promotional letters included): Pittsburgh VA Medical Center Membership Youth Activities Mid-Winter Workshop Christmas Greeting IMPORTANT DATES: Dates marked with an * indicates the Department President s Official Visit to that District: 2016 Dec 3 4 Dec Dec 30 Jan.2 District #21* Christmas Department Headquarters Closed New Year s Eve Day Department Headquarters Closed BY ORDER OF: Donna K. Mills Donna K. Mills Department President ATTEST: Jodie Hollinger Jodie Hollinger Department Secretary/Treasurer

3 MEMBERSHIP GENERAL ORDERS # 5 December 2016 Promotion 79.39% Temperature s Rising, but we all need to pull together to achieve 100% + by December 31 st. A $50.00 monetary award to the Auxiliary in each membership group with the highest percentage. There is no extension and we must remember to allow time for snail mail during the Holidays when both National and Department Headquarters are closed. **To qualify at least one transmittal in each award period must be submitted.** Dues reminder notices should have been sent out. Don t forget personal contact is the key to success. Reach out to all members to get help in contacting those auxiliary members that haven t paid their dues. Remember: Checks must have two (2) signatures. Number of dues cards must match the amount on the check and number of dues reported on the transmittal. Life Membership makes a wonderful Christmas Gift. Life Member dues increase 15% January 1st, Wishing everyone happiness not only at Christmas but every day of the New Year. A thought The strongest ten 2-letterwords in the world are IF IT IS TO BE. IT IS UP TO ME. If we each do our part, the ME will turn into WE and together we will continue SERVING AMERICA'S HEROES" recruiting one member and retaining one member matters as we continue to show our "UNWAVERING SUPPORT FOR UNCOMMON HEROES. Loyally, Deborah A. Sigman Department Membership Chairman

4 Membership Moment: Why Being a Member in Good Standing Matters With only five weeks left in the year, we would like to remind our Annual members why it is important that they pay their 2017 dues by December 31. As stated in Section 104 (page 15) of the 2017 Auxiliary Podium Edition Bylaws and Ritual: The membership year of the Auxiliary is from January 1 to December A member who has paid their dues to December 31 is in good standing - A member ceases to be in good standing on January 1 immediately following the year for which dues have been paid. - A member shall not again be in good standing until their dues have been paid for the current year. - Dues must be paid by June 30 to remain a continuous member. - Prior year s dues may not be paid after July 1. As a VFW Auxiliary member NOT in good standing, he or she is NOT allowed to: Attend VFW Auxiliary meetings; Hold any VFW Auxiliary elective office, appointive office, or program chairmanship on any level; and Retain eligibility for a Cancer Grant, if otherwise eligible. We know that this information is essential to many of our members. Please pass this on to all of your Annual members who have not yet paid their 2017 dues.

5 Let s Talk Interviewing a veteran can be a wonderful experience for everyone, especially our younger generation. Students will have the opportunity to get to know how the effects of war impacted the veterans lives and the lives of their families. The essay contest is divided into three age categories: 5-8, 9-12, and (the actual age when the interview is performed). It should explain what they learned from the interview and how it made them feel before, during, and afterwards; what, if anything, changed their understanding of the experiences veterans go through and how it affects their families and friends. The information learned can be presented through and essay, video, audio, or any other media outlet fitting for the contest. Please fill out the following when presenting the essay; NAME: AGE: VFW POST/AUXILIARY NUMBER: VFW POST/AUXILIARY NAME: DISTRICT NUMBER:

6 PITTSBURGH VA HEALTHCARE H.J. HEINZ PROGESSIVE CARE CENTER ASPINWALL, PA GENERAL ORDERS #5 Dear Sisters, To our Department President Donna Mills, we would like to express our sincerest thanks for the appointments as Representative and Deputies at H. J. Heinz Progressive Care Center, now considered part of the Pittsburgh VA Healthcare system. To all of the Auxiliaries that have sponsored parties and sent donations, we would like to say a big Thank You. Through your continued support and concern for our hospitalized veterans, you have shown that we are SERVING AMERICA S HEROS, and we all show by our assistance to our Veterans that we provide UNWAVERING SUPPORT FOR UNCOMMON HEROES. Through all of your past support, we have been able to have Bocce games, ward functions, bingos, provide comfort items and assist in the ceramic shop. We have been able to continue to assist with the patients that are unable to come to the various functions, by purchasing movie videos that are broadcast directly to the patients bedside. In the past, you have been very generous and it greatly appreciated. This year we are again asking for your continued support of patients at H.J. Heinz Progressive Care Center. Please send your donation to: Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Pennsylvania Veterans of Foreign Wars, 4002 Fenton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA There are still a few dates available through 2017 to book parties in the afternoon or in the evening; please contact myself or one of the deputies to book a party. Also, please take a few moments to thank your volunteers that go to your parties at your next meeting, you may just be able to pick up a new volunteer. Loyally, Cecelia R. Cook Representative Eldora Crist, Assistant Rep Charlotte Swogger-Lopes, Deputy Margaret Miller, Deputy

7 MID WINTER WORKSHOP There will be a Mid-Winter Workshop held January 21, 2017 from 9:00 a.m. to Noon. Plans for the Workshop will be as follows: 1. On Line Academy Presentation a. m. 2. National Recruiter Training Session ( qualifies you for All State Awards) a.m. 3. Questions to all Department Chairmen regarding our Programs - 11-Noon 4. Lunch on your own - Noon - 2:00 p.m. 5. Council of Administration Meeting - 2:00 p. m. Have your questions ready for the Department Chairmen. There will be one question per member as we only have one hour for discussion. You may want to ask about year-end reports, programs that crossover other programs, easy things to do so you can be 100 /o reporting in every program. There will be a $5.00 Advance Registration fee to help defray expenses. There will be a Cancer Table and National Home Table so your generous donations will be greatly appreciated. There will also be a Money Tree. Deb Sigman is also having a TRANSMITTAL PICKUP. A PRIZE WILL BE GIVEN FOR THE AUXILIARY THAT BRINGS IN THE MOST MEMBERS. Compliments of Jean Gasior. Jodie Hollinger, Department Secretary- Treasurer will also be available to answer any questions on Treasurer's Duties, Audits, Membership, etc. Hope to see you at the workshop at Mid-Winter Jean Gasior, Program Coordinator

8 REGISTER NOW The Annual Mid-Winter Conference will be held January 20-22, 2017 at the Double Tree by Hilton, Pittsburgh-Green Tree, 500 Mansfield Ave, Pittsburgh, PA Registration fee is $5.00 in ADVANCE. Please complete the form below and mail with check (EAR MARKED: MID WINTER REG.) made payable to Dept. of PA, VFW Aux to: Department of PA, VFW Aux 4002 Fenton Avenue Harrisburg, PA Deadline for advanced registration fee is JANUARY 6, DETACH H ERE M i d-wi nte r Registration Fee $5.00 in Advance AUXILIARY# DISTRICT# ENCLOSED$ CHECK# _ PLEASE PRINT LEGIBLE - NAMES & MEMBER NUMBER AS LISTED ON MEMBERSHIP ROSTER NAME MEMBER NAME MEMBER l

9 PITTSBURGH VA HEALTHCARE UNIVERSITY DRIVE Formerly OAKLAND VAMC PITTSBURGH, PA GENERAL ORDERS #5 Dear Sisters, To our Department President Donna Mills, we would like to express our sincerest thanks for the appointments as Representative and Deputies at University Drive (formerly Oakland VAMC), now considered part of the Pittsburgh VA Healthcare system. To all of the Auxiliaries that have sponsored parties and sent donations, we would like to say a big Thank You. Through your continued support and concern for our hospitalized veterans, you have shown that we are SERVING AMERICA S HEROS, and we all show by our assistance to our Veterans that we provide UNWAVERING SUPPORT FOR UNCOMMON HEROES. Through all of your past support, we have been able to have Pizza parties and provide comfort items and assist with other activities, and to help the patients the basic needs that they have. In the past, you have been very generous and it is greatly appreciated. This year we are again asking for your continued support of patients at University Drive. Please send your donation to: Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of Pennsylvania Veterans of Foreign Wars, 4002 Fenton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA There are dates available through 2017 to book parties in the afternoon or in the evening; please contact myself or one of the deputies to book a party. Also, please take a few moments to thank your volunteers that go to your parties at your next meeting, you may just be able to pick up a new volunteer. Loyally, Cecelia R. Cook Representative Eldora Crist, Assistant Rep Charlotte Swogger-Lopes, Deputy Margaret Miller, Deputy

10 YOUTH ACTIVITIES APPEAL GENERAL ORDERS #5 DECEMBER 2016 THANK YOU in advance for your contribution to this appeal for the youth in Pennsylvania. As Youth Activities Auxiliary Chairman, I am pleased to announce a new and exciting opportunity for our future generations to understand the struggles of a veteran (before, during and after war). Let s Talk is a new and continuing project that gives youth the opportunity to interview a veteran and then tell what they learned from the experience. Awarding the participants will depend on your contributions and I hope you will be generous to show your interest in supporting their efforts in taking on this new endeavor. There are three (3) age groups: 5-8, 9-12, and (the actual age when the interview is conducted). Please make your checks payable to: Department of Pennsylvania VFW Auxiliary, earmark Let s Talk awards, and mail them to: Depart. Of PA VFW Auxiliary, 4002 Fenton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA THANK YOU AGAIN. Loyally, Deb Deb Rothermel Pennsylvania Youth Activities Chairman

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