PRESIDENT’SMESSAGE


Dear Members, I’m so honored to welcome the new year with all of you! I know that


in 2016, like every year, we will continue to build on our momentum by dedicating ourselves to our mission of improving the lives of veterans, their families and our communities. This year, we are so fortunate to accomplish this with the benefit of male eligibility, adding a whole new contingent of volunteers to our already impressive network. This program year is flying by fast – during my travels across our great


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Just think about the potential


we have to grow our


membership.


nation I’ve had the opportunity to meet many of you and see firsthand the incredible work you’ve been doing for our veterans and military personnel. To the Departments I’ve visited so far, thank you for your kind hospitality. Your enthusiasm makes me even more enthusiastic about what we can accomplish, and I appreciate everything you do. I’ve also seen many members wearing their “No Excuse…I Recruit” pin, which is great! To get one of these pins, all you have to do is recruit five or more new members, fill out the form in the 2015-2016 National Program Book and National Headquarters will send you the pin. Just think about the potential we have to grow our membership. Five times more members – that would put us at nearly 2 million strong supporting “Our Veterans – Now and Forever.” Don’t forget that now you can recruit husbands and brothers, fathers and sons, grandfathers and grandsons and widowers to join us. And please remember to share your stories with these potential members. We all have a story that brought us to the Auxiliary and keeps us returning year after year. Let’s not be a well-kept secret. Let’s band together and continue our legacy of taking care of our veterans and their families. Auxiliaries, with the new year, you may notice some members had not


paid their annual dues by December 31. It is important to reach out to these members and remind them that if they do not pay their dues by June 30, 2016, they will need to re-join the organization. Also, be on the lookout for the new VFW Legislative Priority Goals, which


will be available on the VFW website, www.vfw.org, VFW in D.C. tab, and on our website under Programs, Legislative. I look forward to visiting with many more sisters and brothers as I travel


to Departments I haven’t explored yet, and I hope to see you for Mid-Year Conference in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, next month! I’m excited to celebrate our successes and chart an even bigger, brighter future.


Loyally,


Francisca Guilford National President


January 2016 | 3


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