Service Officers

Child Welfare is any activity or project that benefits Only children. There are so many things that we as AMVES Ladies Auxiliary can do to help the children of our communities.
Here are some ideas for some Child Welfare projects that you can do.
John Tracy Center (National program) for the deaf and hard of hearing children. Assist underprivileged children with:
Clothing, School Supplies, Medical expenses
Sponsor a holiday party for the community children
Assist the AMVETS in its AADDAA program for Kindergarten through 12th grade by addressing substance abuse in schools. Assist with the AADDAA poster contest.
You can also find more information on:
2nd Vice Duties on page 29 of the Manual
Reporting -Pages100 – 107 of the Manual
Worchid – Page 50 of the Manual
John Tracy Center at http://www.JTC.org
Remember our children are our future. If you have any questions please get in touch with me. I am here to help you.

Community Service is any activity or project that benefits both adults, both children and adults in your community. As auxiliary members, you have a range of opportunities to engage in, contributing to the welfare of all. Your efforts help make the Auxiliary well known and acknowledged through these acts of kindness and outreach.
For more information, ideas, and projects, please refer to your National Manual, Section 8, and visit the National Auxiliary websites at www.amvetsaux.org and Department site
at www.amvetsflaux.org.
Here are some wonderful organizations within our local community to partner with – Paws with A Cause (PAWS), an organization that trains service dogs for physically challenged, autistic children, seizure response and hearing-impaired individuals.
Ronald McDonald House is an organization that provides shelter for the families of hospitalized children, meals, and educational programs. It also offers services such as peer support, sibling resources, and activities.
The Special Olympics, the world’s largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, provides year-round training and is always in need of volunteers to help with its local and state event

Americanism is love and loyalty of and to our country, with an eagerness to defend our country from all enemies, our undivided allegiance to the flag and a desire to protect our rights and freedoms as Americans.
The Americanism programs will give schools and youth organizations resources for teaching children in kindergarten through 12th grade about their American heritage, civics and citizenship.
We can promote Americanism by presenting flags and information to schools, institutions and other youth groups. Have flag folding programs, promote our Flag Poster and Essay contests, and send a ninth grade student to AMVETS National Youth Leadership Seminar held at Freedoms Foundation in Valley Forge in November.
Americanism projects include but are not limited to:

• Freedoms Foundation – National Program at Valley Forge, PA that will educate students and teachers, inspiring them to preserve and advance American freedoms and demonstrate civic responsibility.
• Fisher House – AMVETS Dept. of Florida Program- Fisher House Foundation builds comfort homes where military & veteran families can stay free of charge, while a loved one is in the hospital.
• AMVETS and AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary Flag Poster and Essay contest offers schools and youth organizations as a resource for teaching children in kindergarten through 12th grade about their American heritage, civics and citizenship. The program includes flag drawing, poster and essay contests that are grade specific and age appropriate.
• Serve our Servicemen and Women – SOS. This is on the local level. Helping our servicemen and women whether it is taking them to appointments, grocery shopping or something bigger such as help around the house and yard. Maybe cooking a meal for a veteran, sending coupons overseas to our military personnel or sending used postage stamps for wounded veterans to aid with their dexterity.

You can collect and send coupons, stamps, and cell phones to aid or assist veterans or military members/families. Participate in patriotic parades, or even sponsor pen pals in foreign countries.
You can find more information and ideas in the Auxiliary Manual. Don’t forget to apply for the various awards!
National awards:

• PNP Heidi Dieen-Serpis Award – for the Department doing the most outstanding work in Americanism.
• PNP Patty Piening Award – local auxiliary doing the most outstanding in Americanism.
• Award for Individual Members – for the member doing the most outstanding work in Americanism.

Department of FL local awards:

• PDP Donnajeanne Hackler Americanism Award- Awarded to the Auxiliary showing the most Interesting program/project for an Americanism Project to be presented in booklet form.
• Freedoms Foundation Awards- Awarded to the Auxiliary with the largest cash donation for Freedoms Foundation.
• PNP Dee Baggett 2nd place Award Freedoms Foundation Award- Awarded to the Auxiliary with the largest per member donation to Freedoms Foundation.
• PDP Dorothy Johns Americanism Chairman Award-Awarded to the local Americanism Chairman demonstrating ability in forming committees to successfully complete projects and in forwarding legible and correct service reports promptly to the Department Chairman.
• PNP Dee Baggett 2nd place Award Freedoms Foundation Award- (Auxiliary) with the largest cash donation for Freedoms Foundation.
• Freedoms Foundation Awards- Awarded to the Auxiliary with the largest per member donation for Freedoms Foundation.
• PDP Mary Lous Maslo FISHER HOUSE AWARD- Presented to the Auxiliary donating the most money to an OPERATING Fisher House.

A few ideas for aiding our military veterans and their families:
TROOPONS®
Merchant coupons, expired up to 6 months can still be used by our troops at overseas stores on bases. Simply mail your coupons the cheapest way you can to us, and we will make sure they get to the troops.
Mail your coupons to:
Support Our Troops®
P.O. Box 70
Daytona Beach, FL 32115-0070

Stamps for the Wounded
Postage stamps saved from the mail, philatelic materials from stamp collections, unused stamps purchased from the post office, collector supplies and cash donations.
For more information: https://www.stampsforthewounded.org

Cell Phones for Soldiers
Cell Phones for Soldiers is a national non-profit organization dedicated to providing cost-free
communication services and emergency funding to active-duty military members and veterans. For more information and shipping instructions: [email protected]

As the Department of Florida Scholarship Officer, I would like to provide you with the links to the available Scholarships. To qualify you must be an AMVET or AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary Member, a Son, Daughter of Grandchild of a member of AMVETS of AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary. Most of the Scholarships require the applicant to be a graduating High School Senior who has been accepted to an accredited College or University

• AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary Department of FL (www.amvetsflaux.org) Applicant must be a member of AMVETS of AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary, a Son/Daughter/Grandchild of a member of AMVETS or AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary, and applicant must be a graduating High School Senior accepted to an accredited College or University
• AMVETS National Ladies Auxiliary (www.amvetsaux.org) has Career Start, College Support and Trade Scholarships Available
• AMVETS Department of Florida (www.amvetsfl.org) Applicant must have direct association (Service or family member) with a member of the Department of Florida AMVETS, Ladies Auxiliary (Son/Daughter/Grandchild). Applicant must have completed their
• Freshman year in a Vocational School, Community College and/or University
• AMVETS National and Service Foundation (www.amvets.org) Scholarships for AMVETS (Veteran, Active Duty & Guard/Reserve); Spouses of Veteran, Active Duty & Guard/Reserve); Children and Grandchildren
• AMVETS National Riders Scholarship (www.amvetsridersnational.org) AMVETS RIDERS and family: wives, husbands, children and grandchildren

Helpful Tips:
The Definition of Hospital Program as used in the AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary Hospital Program: A hospital defined as: any institution providing health care services to the physically and mentally ill; this includes nursing homes and convalescent homes (when medically staffed)
The Hospital Program of AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary is diversified in so far as it is carried on in all types of hospitals and nursing care facilities BUT unified in its objective to bring cheer and diversion to the hospitalized veterans, dependents and the community it serves.
The bulk of volunteer service is given to Veterans Affairs Medical Centers across the country under the direction of our VAVS Representatives.
There is also AMVETS Because We Care Day Held the 1st Wednesday in April in all VA medical Centers.
We have Award programs such as St. Jude Research Hospital our “National Project” usually held in November but can be held any time in the year. There is also the James Parke Scholarship Presented by “National VAVS”.
We also have the following Department Awards; such as Sherry Marecek Hospital Award and PDP Delia J. Ray Memorial Hospital Award. Don’t be afraid to go for these awards.
If you have any questions please