VFW Ladies Auxiliary recognizes Stroud

Nevada President Mary Stroud of Hawthorne, a member of John Franklin Shain Auxiliary #2313, was honored recently during the National Mid-Year Conference of the Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States.

She is one of 32 state presidents who achieved the goal of 91 percent membership by Dec. 31, 2013. At a special event, national President Armithea “Sissy” Borel of Louisiana honored each with a medallion recognizing her leadership.

The event took place aboard the Celebrity Cruises Constellation cruise ship with more than 300 members from throughout the country in attendance.

In addition to honoring the state presidents, the purpose of the conference was to discuss the mid-year progress of the Ladies Auxiliary’s nine community service programs, such as Veterans & Family Support, the Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest and the Hospital program.

The nearly 500,000 members of the Ladies Auxiliary nationwide are wives, mothers, daughters, and other female relatives of those who have served in the U.S. military overseas during a war or conflict. As when the organization began in 1914, serving veterans continues to be its major goal. Supporting America’s active-duty military personnel by shipping care packages and offering free long-distance calling opportunities are just two of the ways the organization serves them today.