WILMINGTON — Most fraternal organization have a group within them that seems to be doing something all the time to either support the overall group or working on projects of their own. Sometimes this ancillary group may be a committee, or sometimes it is an auxiliary unit of the main organization.
For Clinton County’s Veterans of Foreign Wars, it is definitely the members of James H. Smithson Post 6710 Auxiliary Unit. On Sunday, Sept. 20 was the Auxiliary’s yard sale raising money to help fund the numerous projects planned for the rest of their fiscal year; Monday was the regularly scheduled meeting and, as usual, it was not just a regular meeting.
This particular meeting would include the presentation of an award for a recent Blanchester High School graduate and the presentation of a special gift to the Post.
Officers and members welcomed Doug Naylor, father of Kelsey Naylor, the 2020 winner of the Patriotic Art Contest. Kelsey could not be in attendance as she is away at college majoring in Graphic Arts.
On behalf of his daughter, Doug accepted two awards, because she not only won the local competition, but Kelsey was also the overall winner of the VFW Department of Ohio 4th District Contest, which encompasses the six counties in Southwestern Ohio.
The next presentation was a handcrafted replacement for the aging centerpiece of all Post and Auxiliary meetings.
Both organizations open their meetings with prayer, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, emphasizing God first in all things. The altar is positioned front and center during all meetings. A special cloth covers the top with a Bible in the middle.
The Auxiliary asked Post member Paul Butler to craft one similar to the old one out of mahogany. The Unit purchased the material and patiently waited until their September meeting to present it to Commander Richard James and the members present.
The VFW Auxiliary membership is open to any U.S. citizen 16 years old or older who is the: spouse; widower or widow; father/mother; son/daughter; grandson/granddaughter; or brother/sister of a U.S. military veteran who is or was eligible to join the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
If you interested in joining this growing, active and fun group of dedicated volunteers, call the Post at 937-383-3432 and request that one of the officers contact you.
