VFW Auxillary Scholarship Contest -- August 31, 2010 -- Collinsville, OK -- www.cvilleok.com

News Release from VFW Post 3077 & Ladies Aux.

America’s largest organization of combat veterans, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) of the United States of America, just completed their 111th National Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana with National Commander Thomas J. Tradewell, Sr. of Sussex, Wisconsin, officiating. Running simultaneously with the VFW convention, Ladies Auxiliary VFW National President Jan Tittle of Ladson, South Carolina, presided over the Ladies 97th National Convention also held at the Indianapolis Convention Center.

During a special joint session on August 24, 2010, United States Vice President Joe Biden addressed the convention delegates praising the VFW and Ladies Auxiliary for all that they do to secure a better future for service members and their families.

Attending the six day convention was VFW National Legislative Committee Member Richard Elsheimer and wife, Cherryl, who currently serves as State Secretary for the Department of Oklahoma Ladies Auxiliary VFW. Both are Life Members of Joe Keith VFW Post 3077 & Ladies Auxiliary in Collinsville.

Highlights of the Ladies convention included the first-place winner of the Ladies Auxiliary VFW’s 2009-2010 National Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest. National President Tittle presented Mariah Jorgensen, daughter of Michael and Patricia Jorgensen of Medford, Wisconsin, with a plaque and a $10,000 scholarship recognizing her outstanding achievement. Her winning entry demonstrates the real meaning of patriotism with its depiction of the Statue of Liberty sitting in New York Harbor weeping as the World Trade Center Towers burn in the background, the forefathers of our country as depicted at the Mount Rushmore looking on overhead. Mariah’s entry along with the Second through Eighth Place winners were displayed at the Convention.

The national Ladies Auxiliary VFW scholarship contest is sponsored by the Collinsville Ladies Auxiliary to VFW Post 3077. Students must be in grades 9 thru 12. Home-schooled students are eligible; foreign exchange students are not. Student entries must be submitted to the Ladies Auxiliary by March 31st, 2011.

First prize national winner receives a $10,000 scholarship, a plaque and airfare plus two nights’ lodging to attend the Ladies Auxiliary National convention where the entry will be displayed. The entry will also be featured on the cover of the Ladies Auxiliary National Magazine and the Auxiliary Web site.

Second place national winner receives a $5,000 scholarship, third place a $2,500 scholarship, fourth place $1,500 and fifth through eighth place receive $500 each. Both the second and third place entries will be featured in the Ladies Auxiliary Magazine and Web site. Fourth through eighth place are featured on the Web site only.
To obtain an entry form or more information about the scholarship program, you may visit the Web site at ladeisauxvfw.org. Locally you can contact President Donita Bell, Joe Keith Ladies Auxiliary VFW Post 3077 at 918-371-3135.

On August 26, 2010 Cortina Barnes from Washington, D.C., was elected and installed as the 98th National President of the Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) of the United States. Cortina joined the Auxiliary on the eligibility of her father, Benjamin F. Willis, a WWII veteran who served the European Theater. During her term, she will tour the Far East and visit each state. The Tulsa area will host the National President’s visit to Oklahoma on January 31st-February 2nd, 2011. To learn more about the nearly 550,000 member organization, go to www.ladiesauxvfw.org.

Richard L. Eubank of Eugene, Ore, was elected the 112th VFW National Commander on August 26, 2010 to head the 1.5 million-member organization. During the Vietnam War Eubank served as a field radio operator with the 1st and 3rd Marine Division. During his yearlong term, Eubank will log thousands of miles across the globe to promote the VFW, veterans’ issues and quality of life initiatives for active-duty, Reserve and Guard members. By the time his term ends, he will have visited every state and numerous overseas areas.

The VFW and its Ladies Auxiliary encourage community service, promoting citizenship, patriotism and continuing education by sponsoring scholarship programs such as the Voice of Democracy and Patriot’s Pen.
The Voice of Democracy competition provides students in grades 9 through 12 the opportunity to write and record a broadcast script on a patriotic theme, competing for more than $2.5 million in college scholarships and incentives. State winners receive an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. to enjoy our nation’s capital and compete for $149,999 in scholarships – first place national winner receives a $30,000 scholarship.

The Patriot’s Pen provides 6th through 8th grade students the opportunity to express their opinion on a patriotic theme and improve their writing skills while competing for worthwhile awards and prizes. State winners compete for $91,000 in U.S. Savings bonds at the national level. The national winner receives a $10,000 U.S. Savings Bond and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington D.C. where they tour the city.

The theme for the 2010-2011 Voice of Democracy competition is “Does My Generation Have a Role in America’s Future?” The Patriot’s Pen theme is “Does Patriotism Still Matter?” The deadline for submitting entries on both programs is November 1, 2010. Students may enter by submitting the required entry form, along with their entry, to the local VFW Post. Contact VFW Post 3077 Commander Kevin Lutz @ 918-371-8236 or Ladies Auxiliary President Donita Bell for entry forms or more information.