North Carolina’s president, Joyce Preston of Tryon, a member of Polk County Memorial Auxiliary, #9116, led the state delegation of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary at the 103rd National Convention held July 23-27 at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, N.C.

As leading representative of the state, she voiced the delegates’ votes during the election of national officers and played a key role in deciding the direction of the national organization for 2016-2017.

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 Francisca Guilford 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 Guilford 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.

Learn more at vfwauxiliary.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/VFWAuxiliary.

–  article submitted

by Cara Day