News
VFW Ladies Auxiliaries productive in county
Heather Milbrath
07/23/2013
Editor’s Note: Bottineau Courant writer, Heather Milbrath, is writing a series of stories this summer on the veterans organizations in Bottineau County. This week, Milbrath looks at the VFW Ladies’ Auxiliaries in Bottineau County.
Bottineau and Westhope in Bottineau County has eight different veteran posts, including two Veterans of Foreign War Posts. Westhope and Bottineau both have a VFW post and both towns have a VFW Auxiliary post.
To qualify for Ladies Auxiliary membership, one must be related to someone who is eligible for membership in the VFW. This includes mothers, wives, sisters, grandmothers, daughters, granddaughters and many other relatives to veterans.
The VFW Auxiliary is in charge of many different programs, from obtaining more members to cancer aid and research. According to Mae Streich, current president of the Bottineau VFW Auxiliary, the main goal of the VFW Auxiliary is to help out the veterans in any way.
BOTTINEAU AUXILIARY
The Bottineau Ladies Auxiliary was chartered on March 18, 1971. Many of the members then, and now are wives of VFW members and actively serve the community. The Bottineau VFW Auxiliary currently has 62 members.
There are many programs that the Bottineau VFW Auxiliary partakes in to support veterans. The Auxiliary supports the Lisbon Veterans Home and the State VA Hospital in Fargo, in forms of monetary support, as well as sending treats for holidays and “Cancer Bags” for veterans with cancer. The Auxiliary also assists veterans on local level. The Auxiliary members aid veterans in St. Andrew’s Hospital and the Good Samaritan Nursing Home, by putting on programs like bingo.
In addition to helping veterans, the Bottineau Auxiliary works with local youth. Each year they have the Patriots Pen and Voice of Democracy Essay Programs with the Bottineau Schools. These programs encourage students to write an essay on a specified patriotic topic. Winners are chosen at a district, state and national level. In the past, the Bottineau Auxiliary has also collaborated with the elementary music teacher to put on the Patriotic Program. Central School students perform this music program every spring, and the Auxiliary provides flags and poppies for the students.
The biggest civic program the Bottineau Auxiliary hosts is the community luncheons. Their goal is to have a luncheon every other month, although weather and other obligations do not always allow this to happen. The Auxiliary women work closely with the VFW men to execute these luncheons.
The men bring half the food, as well as help to set up and serve coffee. Fada Garbe, Bottineau VFW Auxiliary member, says that the luncheons could not happen without the help of the men.
“We used to be able to do the luncheons on our own, but now our membership is getting older and we need the help of the VFW men to help make these so successful.” Garbe said.
Garbe and Streich both feel that these luncheons are well received by the community, even after they moved to their new building on 5th Street.
They plan to continue these luncheons, as well as all their other activities when the Auxiliary moves to the new veteran’s building.
WESTHOPE AUXILIARY
The Westhope VFW Auxiliary also has done their part to help their community since their beginning.
The Westhope VFW Auxiliary has a current membership of 34 women. Ginny Heth, Westhope Auxiliary president says they have a range of membership.
“Some members are local and are able to attend meetings and be very involved in the activities and others are from all across the country and basically help us out only financially.” Heth said.
Many of the activities that the Westhope Auxiliary partakes in are similar to the Bottineau Auxiliary. The Westhope Auxiliary brings the Voice of Democracy and Patriots Pen programs in the Westhope School each fall. They also have a coloring contest, and support other youth programs like the after prom party.
The Westhope Auxiliary also holds a soup, salad and dessert luncheon each fall. The proceeds from these luncheon go toward raising money for cancer aid and research.
“This [luncheon] activity is always very well attended and much appreciated by all those to enjoy the various foods we serve.” Heth said.
Heth has a long history in the Westhope Auxiliary, as she has been a member since she was 16. She has served as president for approximately 20 years and has held many offices, including being the secretary for the Department of North Dakota VFW Auxiliary in 1976-77.
The Westhope Auxiliary works closely with the Westhope VFW on several programs, including the Memorial Day program. Both groups have meetings on the same night and the women provide the lunch at these meetings.
The Westhope Auxiliary was chartered in August of 1946 with 20 members. At one time, the Westhope Auxiliary had over 50 members, but that number had declined over the years.
Although the Westhope Auxiliary does not have any charter members still living, it does have many members that have been active anywhere from 25 to 40 years. Heth feels that the Westhope Auxiliary currently has a steady and active membership.