During the last year we have lost three of our auxiliary members, Mary Cardel, Sheila Shaughnessy and former president Pat Wallin. Sheila was treasurer for many years and Mary was a faithful attendee of our meetings and congress, even when in poor health. Each of these ladies contributed to the success of our organization.
Naomi Wess attended Spring Leadership in Louisville, and members Marjorie Ramseur, Jeanne Fehrenbaker, Cathy Thomas, Karen Christie, Norma Dowling and Billie Brock were at the 2nd Battle of Thomas Creek commemorative event where the Auxiliary Wreath was presented. An Auxiliary Wreath presentation was made at the Patriot’s Day Celebration, on St. Simon’s Island, GA by Vicky Kelsey attending along with Marjorie Ramseur. The Last Naval Battle Commemoration at Cape Canaveral was attended by Naomi Wess, Karen Christie Becky Elam and Anne McGuire, who presented the Auxiliary wreath. I attended the N.C. SSAR Annual Meeting in Charlotte and the Pensacola Chapter SAR Dedication of the Minuteman Statue and Commemoration of the Battle of Pensacola where I presented our Auxiliary wreath.
An important auxiliary functions is to support the SAR commemorative events not just in Florida but at other South Atlantic District events. Many of our members will be at Congress held in Boston this year. I encourage you all to consider coming to this wonderful meeting or plan ahead for the 2017 Congress in Knoxville, TN an approximate 10-hour driving distance from Central FL.
A review of the fund raising Basket raffles show that they have netted our Treasury $1,145.00 for the auxiliary awards to supplement the FLSSAR youth awards. We have designated the youth awards for a total of $2,400.00 this year. Hopefully, our monies raised tonight will add large amount to our funds.
I want to thank Naomi Wess for taking the lead on our First Ladies Luncheon. It was a meaningful event honoring just a few of the women who have served in the Armed Forces.
I also want to give a special thanks to our Board Members, some of whom have served for longer than a one-year term. Our organization can’t function without people stepping up to fill our offices and taking an active part in the Auxiliary activities. Another special thanks to Billie Brock who led the Nominating Committee.
Ideas for our auxiliary come from within our group and from attending other State Meetings. The North Carolina Auxiliary though smaller than ours has made helping the Veterans Hospitals across North Carolina a priority project. They provide small toiletry items, much needed special care items, gift cards and a variety of cards for the vets to use for family birthdays, anniversaries and Christmas. The various members purchase these cards and send them to the hospitals. The Hospice ward requested a special Dove cleanser that was selected for a special contribution to the vets. The gift cards we collected yesterday will help our lady vets in the Land O’Lakes home with small purchases and even the cost of medicine.
I am proud to have been able to lead this group of distinguished women, many of whom were honored last night at the Awards Banquet for their outstanding service to the auxiliary and to the Florida Society
Let all Auxiliary members strive to improve our group with energized participation and generation of new ideas, keeping our auxiliary moving forward in the coming years.
It has been my pleasure to have served as president of the Auxiliary and I will be turning over this group to a very competent, newly elected board.