Auxiliary VFW - Michigan

Update on PDP Diana Ward. She is being released and going home today. She will continue to receive home health care.
Department Scholarship Chairman Denise Arnold is hoping to be released by the end of the week.
Cards can be sent to Denise at:
9525 E. River Rd.
Mt. Pleasant,, MI 48858

Please consider sending District 14 President Ann Backhurst cards of condolence as Quinn passed this past week. Prayers would be appreciated.
Her address is:
1106 N. McClellen Ave.
Marquette, MI 49855

Notice has been given to Department President Sara Manke from Department Treasurer Nicole Koutz, that she will be leaving her position and will render her resignation as Department Treasurer on December 31, 2023.

She has been hired to a full time position which is closer to home with much higher pay.

If you are interested in being a candidate for this position please contact the Department President to figure out training opportunities.

We will be holding an election to fill that vacancy at our January 26, 2024, Council of Administration Meeting.

Good Monday Morning!
We still need elected officers to get their 2024 Auxiliary dues paid as soon as possible.
Also, we are 1,851 short of reaching100% in membership. Please personally reach out to those members. It just might make the difference in getting them paid.

34 Auxiliaries have not yet turned in their Audit yet! Please get them in, as soon as Possible.

We are at 92.46% in department memberbship. It has been a wonderful year of gaining new members but it is the 21st of November and we still need 1,888 members to reach 100%. Please get those dues reminders out.

Update on Past Department President Diana Ward. She is recovery mode now. She still has a long recovery process before her, so keep her in your prayers, please.

Department First Aid/Scholarships Chairman Denise Arnold underwent surgery yesterday. As of last evening she was awake and aware, an experiencing pain. Her recovery will also be a journey of time so please keep her in prayers too.

Wonderful news:
PDP Diana Ward's surgery went very well today. As a matter of fact, they also did the surgery they had planned to do on Monday morning. It won't be a walk in park for her recovery but steps are in place to start the process.
Please keep Diana in your prayers.

Several Auxiliaries do not have Audit reports in to the office. Please make sure that yours is, or will be, in the next few days.

UPDATE
Diana had 3/4 of her Sternum removed. On Friday she will have another surgery to scrape and remove anything left from Monday's surgery. They will also be placing a new wound vac in.
Her next surgery will be on Monday the 20th. I will let you know more after Friday's surgery.

Send a message to learn more

I spoke with PDP Diana Ward earlier. She is still hurting but on her way to feeling better. She will have an extended stay as she will be having several more procedures and a couple of surgeries.

This is how she can be contacted:
Diana Ward ICU,
4th Floor, Room 24,
1500 E. Medical Dr.,
Ann Arbor, MI 48109

She would appreciate hearing from you. Also, please continue sending up those prayers for her complete healing.

PDP Diana Ward's surgery went well. Keep her in your prayers please!

Please keep Past President Diana Ward in your prayers. She has been admitted back in the hospital and for an infection in her chest that they cant seem to get get cleared up. We will keep you posted as we know more.

Several people have inquired about these Cookbooks.

The Erie VFW Auxiliary 3925 cookbook has been published. Cost is $20. It can be mailed for an extra $3 to cover postage. Books will be sent when I receive payment.
Thanks

New Bookkeeping Software

Now Available in MALTA

NOW AVAILABLE: Treasurers, look for new Bookkeeping software available in MALTA Member Resources!

This is for Auxiliary Treasurers only at all levels, not for Assistant Treasurers, Secretaries or Presidents.

This technology, which can be accessed in the shortcuts area in the Treasurer’s Duties tab in MALTA, will help simplify accounting processes and is free to VFW Auxiliary Treasurers. We encourage Treasurers to take a look and see if this software will serve as a good tool.

Department Treasurers have been trained on the Bookkeeping software, and a guide and tutorial video are available behind MALTA in Treasurers’ Resources. Please review these resources before accessing the software, and if you then have questions, please first direct them to your Department Treasurer. If they are unable to assist, direct questions to National Headquarters at [email protected]. If you need technical support only (website issues), contact MALTA support at (800) 349-3670.

Attention Members:
If you ordered National President Carla Martinez' Shirt but have not received it yet. Please contact the office for our assistance.

Thank you to everyone that supported the Department Auxiliary Gun Raffle Fundraiser.
The final drawing was held on October 31, 2023.
The Department cleared just over $10,000.

Anyone wishing to learn the new MALTA Bookkeeping program can call the office to set up a time to come in and learn it from Nicole.

You will need to bring your own personal laptop to participate.

You can now visit the Michigan VFW website to purchase your Mid-Winter Banquet Tickets.

At vfwmi.org, click on the news tab and then the Mid-Winter Conference Page. Ticket price per person is $52.00. If ordered after January 19, 2024 cost will be $60.00 per person.

If mailing for ticckets directly to Department ONLY CHECKS will be acceptable.
DO NOT SEND CASH.

Please get your audits in!
Check your audits first, getting several in and not balancing and have to be redone.

A huge thank you to everyone who took part in the October gun a day raffle, that the Department of Michigan VFW Auxiliary just concluded with. Whatever role you played(selling tickets, buying tickets, or just praying for this event to be successful)
THANKS!!
Jason Manke
Department Chaplain

CONGRATULATIONS Day 31
ticket # 038 Wayne Fleury is the lucky winner of a Savage 350 Legend Rifle.
Jason Manke sold this winning ticket.

CONGRATULATIONS Day 30
ticket # 196 J.W. McCormick is the lucky winner of a R***r 450 Bushmaster
Donna Miszewski sold this winning ticket.

CONGRATULATIONS Day 29
ticket # 203 Ron King is the lucky winner of a $300 Gun Voucher.
Shirley Caldwell sold this winning ticket.

CONGRATULATIONS Day 28
ticket # 894 Teresa Masternak is the lucky winner of a Smith & Wesson 40 cal. Pistol
George Deyoe sold this winning ticket.

CONGRATULATIONS Day 27
ticket # 372 Troy Hubbard (New York) is the lucky winner of a Wi******er Wildcat 22.
Kathy Hubbard sold this winning ticket.

Pat Patterson
·
Good morning , just wanted to talk about donations for a moment. We truly appreciate all the clothing donations we get , however we need to think about the sizes that get donated. Every week I get at least one request for larger sizes. 2XL, 3Xl and even 4Xl. And that seems to be the sizes that we never get enough of. So please if you donate clothing please consider donating some of the larger sizes. I also have noticed I’m getting requests for socks that are wider because a lot of the members have swollen feet. I don’t even know if they exist but if someone knows of any please let me know. Again thank you ,thank you for all you do!!!!!!❤️❤️❤️

Today Veterans of Foreign Wars/Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary member Jennifer Smith, will be posthumously indoctrinated into The Michigan Military & Veterans Hall of Honor.

We as an organization that benefitted from her dedication and commitment to legislative advocacy for all Veterans, are excited that Jennifer is being recognized and honored at this time.

CONGRATULATIONS Day 26 ticket
# 696 Sandra Pyle is the lucky winner of a Heritage 22.
Vicki Luckey sold this winning ticket.

THE YELLOW POST CARDS ARE NOT A SCAM

CONGRATULATIONS Day 25 ticket
# 644 Josh Griffith is the lucky winner of a Crossbow package
Kris Griffith sold this winning ticket.

CONGRATULATIONS Day 24 ticket
# 048 Roxanne Hayes is the lucky winner of a Iver Johnson 12 ga. Semi-auto Turkey Gun. Sheryl Proteau sold this winning ticket.

Banquet Form is on our Website under announcement for Mid-Winter VOD

CONGRATULATIONS Day 23 ticket
# 244 Scott Holmes is the lucky winner of a Tactical 12 ga. Dawn Holmes sold this winning ticket.

CONGRATULATIONS Day 22 ticket
# 835 Matt Holewa is the lucky winner of a R***r Wrangler 22. Sara Manke sold this winning ticket.

Congratulations to Michigan's very own Marian Belaire, who was elected and installed as Big Ten Conference Guard. We know you will represent us well in the years to come!

CONGRATULATIONS Day 21 ticket
# 284 Kris Motz is the lucky winner of a Ta**us 9mm. Dawn Holmes sold this winning ticket.

CONGRATULATIONS Day 20 ticket
# 029 Landen Root is the lucky winner of a Iver Johnson 12 ga. Pump Turkey Gun. Sheryl Proteau sold this winning ticket.

CONGRATULATIONS Day 19
ticket # 141 Sandra Kleven is the lucky winner of a $300 Gun Voucher.
Kathy Hubbard sold this winning ticket.