American Legion Auxiliary
|
|
Our mission through Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Committee initiates, sponsors and participates in programs and services that assist and enhance the lives of our veterans and their families. President Charlie asks us to “Believe” while National President Jan tells us “Forward Thinking” A ripple today; A wave tomorrow. We endeavor, though our efforts, to help ensure those who need assistance can restore and/or transition to a normal functioning life, physically, mentally, socially and vocationally. We will have a one-page report again this year. It is a combined report with VA&R and Field Service on one page. You will attach your narratives outlined in the Awards section to your Annual Report as well as any members you are submitting for a special award based on the volunteer hour awards form. Volunteer Services
The VAMC’s rely on our organization and membership to help them in their financial struggles to stretch their resources with our guaranteed aid and assistance so they can concentrate on the core services they provide to our veterans. The newly revised Guide for Volunteers is available for download at this time and will be available later this fall and I encourage you to get a copy for your unit and yourself to make sure you are up-to-date on any new rules. Field and Home Service Volunteers who serve in non-referral nursing homes, Veterans Homes, foster homes, halfway houses, hospices, homeless shelters for veterans, cemeteries where veterans are buried and in the communities are Field Service Volunteers. Field Service volunteers maintain their own record keeping and dollars spent. Home Service volunteers do projects and work for active duty military/veterans and/or their families from the home. Celia, our Field Service Director, will inform you on the many opportunities you will have to be of service to our veterans in our local communities. Collaborative Program Efforts Your dollars donated to the Creative Arts Festival help our veterans through competition. Recognizes the progress and recovery made through recreation therapy, and raises the visibility of the creative achievements of our veterans after disease or, disability of life crisis. Volunteering your time and talents will also assist this program in a tremendous way. Check with your local VAMC via the VA Homeless Veterans Programand Service Officers in the community to learn more about Project CHALENG (Homeless Veterans Outreach). Project CHALENG promotes awareness of homeless veterans’ needs and encourages planning to meet those needs. www.va.gov/homeless/page.cfm The Fisher House enables families to stay together, cook meals, do laundry, and relax in a “home away from home” atmosphere. We can make a difference by volunteering and making a donation. Dedicated to our greatest national treasures: our military service men and women. www.fisherhouse.org Veteran History Project is to ensure that we are doing what we can to aggressively collect and archive the personal recollections of U.S. wartime veterans to honor their service and share their stories with current and future generations. www.loc.gov/vets Support American Legion Program timely information. Provide volunteer service for the Heroes to Hometowns transition program when asked by The American Legion. www.legion.org/ A System Worth Saving
National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans program is to pay tribute and express appreciation to hospitalized veterans; increase community awareness of the role of the VA medical center; and encourage citizens to visit hospitalized veterans and to become involved as volunteers. This is always scheduled during the week of Valentines Day. This is also a good way to get school children involved in thanking our veterans by having them make valentines cards. They can put their talents to good use on Veterans Day, Christmas, and Easter. National Volunteer Month is April of each year. What better way to thank a volunteer than providing her/him with a service hour pins and bars. A thank you card, certificate, or maybe even a meal also means a lot to volunteers. Christmas Gift Shops/Christmas Parties at the various VAMC’s require your support via dollars, gifts, and volunteers. Our hospital representatives should receive a complete inventory of any planned purchased gifts for the Gift Shops your unit will be providing prior to November 1 ,2007. Storage space has become very rare but for her to be prepared she needs to know what is going to be brought to the gift shop so she may go and purchase additional items so we have sufficient merchandise for our veterans to choose from. Be generous and have fun with the patients and make shopping for their families at the holidays a fond memory for all of them. Grant the Last Wish Program is a program through VA Voluntary Services granting a last wish for terminally ill veterans. Contact your VAMC Representative at the hospital nearest you. Cold War Certificate Program is a certificate recognizing service during the Cold War era (September 2, 1945-December 26, 1991). This is an approved means of recognizing members of the armed forces and qualified federal government civilian personnel who faithfully and honorably served the United States during the eligibility period. Go to www.hre.army.mil/site/active/tagd/coldwar for more information call 703-325-5864. Department VA&R Fund donations are still desperately needed to maintain our volunteer program at the VA medical facilities. It can be in the form of Gift of the Month, general fund, bedload, or gift shop, etc. there continues to be an increased need to provide aid and support to our veterans. You can designate your donations to a particular facility or send it as a general donation to one of the funds. All Monetary Donations are to be sent to the American Legion Auxiliary Department of Texas, P.O. Box 140407, Austin, TX 78714-0407. It will then be disbursed, as needed, at one of our Texas facilities. James H. Parke Memorial Youth Scholarship is awarded annually to a deserving student at the annual VAVS Spring meeting with the ALA contributing $2000 annually to help preserve the scholarship that has been as much as $15,000 in the past. Eligibility and application information can be found at www.va.gov/visn18/VAVS/Parke_scholarship.htm VA Nationally Sponsored Events
Additional Resource Websites:
Awards and Scholarships
Department VA&R Program
Field Service Volunteer Hours Award:
Home Service Volunteer Hours Award:
Volunteer Recruitment & Service
Creative Arts Festival Donor Award:
Junior Volunteen Scholarship Award:
Hospital Volunteer Awards will be provided to the hospital Voluntary Chief of Services and /or ALA Representative as required.
Again, be sure to check the rules and Award Entry forms to make sure you have all the proper signatures needed.
Deadline for all narratives is April 15, 2008 and submitted with your Annual Report form.
Your VA&R Committee for 2007-2008 is here to help you because WE BELIEVE in the volunteers. Just call us:
Janelle Allen, Member Div. I
Barbara Kundert, Chairman Div. II
Donna Lee Miller, Member Div. III
Celia Pietzsch, Field Service Director Div. IV
The Auxiliary members have started the race and are moving forward. We believe in success and are driving toward the Winners Circle.
Field Service:
Volunteer services provided for a veteran outside a VAMC, such as; community-based nursing homes, veterans’ homes, day-care centers, foster homes, halfway houses, hospices, and homeless shelters. Volunteers maintain their own record-keeping of volunteer hours and dollars spent. A member who has taken the Field Service Orientation Course may report the hours as her volunteer time. If she has not completed the course, the hours are counted as the Unit’s time. American Legion and SAL members, as well as non-affiliated volunteers, may report their Field Service volunteer hours to an Auxiliary Unit to be counted. They may take the course and count their hours for themselves and report the hours to the unit for Auxiliary reporting. A plaque will be presented to the Field Service Volunteer with the greatest number of volunteer hours from April 1, 2007, - March 31, 2008, in each Division for Junior and Senior members.
Home Service:
Volunteer projects provided for active-duty military, veterans, and/or their families from the home including sewing, knitting, cooking, and/or shopping for materials and supplies. A plaque will be presented to a Home Service Volunteer with the greatest number of volunteer hours from April 1, 2007, -March 31, 2008, in each Division for Junior and Senior members.
The “Guide for Volunteers” was updated in the Summer of 2007. The new version should be used in place of previous editions. For the updated version, contact the Department Secretary.
Veteran and Military Resources:
Women and Families Resources:
Keep your own records of time and money spent and report at the end of the year as part of the VA&R Report.
Send your Unit Report to:
|
| VA&R Annual Report Form VAVS Volunteer Recruitment & Service Award Entry Form #1 Volunteer Hours Award Entry Form #2 Junior Volunteer Hours (Scholarship) Award Form #3 Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation POW Print Version Field Service POW Print Version |