MEMBERSPOTLIGHT


every July. Now Doug, who always joined her as a guest, is a member of Auxiliary 7208. “I had wanted to volunteer to help


veterans and my wife told me about being a member of the Men’s Auxiliary,” he said. “I just never got around to it. I accompanied my wife to the National Convention in St. Louis, then Pittsburgh and felt out of place as a visitor. When I learned there would just be one Auxiliary I thought this would be the time to join.” Doug said he likes the camaraderie the


Doug Bevins Doug Bevins and his wife, Barbara, a U.S.


Air Force veteran and Life Member of Post 7208 in Tall City, Texas, build their summer vacations around the VFW National Convention


MYVETERAN O’Donnell’s father is a World War II U.S.


1DY\ YHWHUDQ ZKR VHUYHG LQ WKH 3DFLÀ F 7KHDWHU aboard the USS Duluth. His job on the ship that took him to Japan and China, Guam and the Philippines, was security. “My dad is very humble and just recently


started talking about his time in the service,” she said. “He said one of the highlights from my tour of duty was ‘when we were in Japan and seeing General MacArthur coming out of the Emperor’s Palace; he seemed larger than life and someone we all looked up to.’” Recently Sorensen received his WWII


Martin “Bud” Sorensen Martin “Bud” Sorensen has always led


by example, teaching his daughter, Diane O’Donnell, the value of a good work ethic and the importance of taking care of family, friends and community alike. At 89, Sorensen still works as hard as “someone half his age,” the member of Auxiliary 4915 in Herkimer, New York, said.


6 | VFW Auxiliary Magazine


medals from U.S. Rep. Richard Hanna. “Dad never received his medals and this


was a fantastic opportunity for me to work with WKH FRQJUHVVPDQ·V RIÀ FH VWDII DQG WR VXUSULVH him (with a bit of pomp and circumstance) when he was presented with the medals he was entitled to for his service to our country.” Another recent adventure was accompanying


her father on an Honor Flight. “It was an amazing experience and one that will be treasured.”


Auxiliary provides. “I also like spending more time with my


wife when she goes off to meetings that I had not been able to attend. And I have a respect for veterans—I never had the opportunity to be one.”


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