Mary Stroud of Hawthorne, a member of John Franklin Shain Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary #2313, attended the 104th National Convention at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, La.
The convention marks the completion of her two-year term on the National Council of Administration, which governs the Auxiliary between national conventions.
A highlight of the convention was the inaugural Circle of Excellence Ceremony, where 35 Department (state) presidents were honored for their leadership during the 2016-2017 year.
Other highlights included the opportunity for members to view all 48 entries of the Young American Creative Patriotic Art entries and the “Buddy”® Poppy displays, in addition to attending several joint events with the VFW, such as the Joint Opening Session and the Patriotic Celebration on Tuesday evening.
During the convention, National President Colette Bishop commended the 2,000 attendees for all their hard work in honoring veterans and supporting deployed military personnel and their families. Members have spent millions of dollars and volunteer hours helping the heroes of our country.
The National President also thanked members for volunteering nearly one million hours in the nation’s hospitals, and donating $300,000 to VFW Veterans and Military Support Programs, which includes Operation UplinkTM to provide long-distance calling opportunities to deployed soldiers and hospitalized veterans.
President Bishop has also given funds to two major cancer research centers, including MD Anderson Cancer Center, as well as to the Veterans Voices Writing Project and many other worthy causes.
The election and installation of new National President Dee Guillory, a Life Member of Wilkins-Edwards Auxiliary #176 in Newport News, Va., and the other 2017-2018 National Officers on July 26 concluded the convention and brought Bishop’s term to an end.