Greetings!

The holidays are over and I know our Auxiliaries have been very active supporting our Veterans during the holidays. Let’s get more involved and support President Phil’s special project Operation Veteran Strong in the remaining months of the 2023/2024 year.

The holidays were tough for me after losing a special friend by suicide just before the holidays last year and then our community lost a police officer just before Thanksgiving in the line of duty. The police officer was also a Veteran. I found myself reaching out to Phil’s Special Project, Operation Veteran Strong, for help, and they were very helpful. For anyone who has experienced a suicide of a friend or family member, it is traumatic. This great organization also has help and resources for family members who are seeking resources to combat the many questions suicide leaves behind.

As a nation, we are losing our Veterans by Suicide at an average of 22 a day. This includes Veterans that are just returning home and can’t cope with returning to civilian life and our World War II, Korean and Vietnam Veterans. Operation Veteran Strong has free help for them and their families.

Operation Veteran Strong is a Colorado based non-profit set up as a useful tool just for U.S. Veterans navigating civilian life. They (and you) can find inspiring stories from other Veterans, information on accessing benefits, helpful self-assessments, and a wide range of free, innovative and practical support services. This help to our Veterans is 100% FREE and confidential.

Here, at Operation Veteran Strong, Veterans get the tools they need to get things done. With their free, confidential account, they can connect on their own terms with: Veteran benefits, VSO contacts, outdoor recreation, employment, financial support, education, family and spouse supports, vet groups, VFW’s, community support, and so much more. And most importantly both medical and non-medicalized solutions for Veterans returning to civilian life. They also specialize in mental health programs and help with Suicide Awareness.

President Phil’s special project pin is a beautiful purple and teal ribbon pin, with the Auxiliary emblem in the middle. The pin’s colors are from the suicide prevention ribbon. They signify hope and courage for those who have attempted suicide and remembrance for those who lost their battle. They truly represent Phil’s special project that is dear and true to him – Suicide Awareness by proving “WE VALUE EVERY VETERAN.”

My main focus is ensuring every Post and Auxiliary member purchase a special project pin. The proceeds from these pins goes towards Phil’s special project. The money that is raised this year will go to help our military and veterans in their time of need. Currently there are 28 Auxiliaries that HAVE NOT purchased any pins. I will be sending letters to those Auxiliaries within the next couple of weeks.

You can order these beautiful pins by mailing an order (located in this Veteran) along with the monies to pay for the requested number of pins. Once I receive the order form, I will send your requested number of pins to you via USPS. The cost per pin is $3 and you are allowed to resell the pins for $3. If you resell the pins at a higher cost, you are required to send the extra monies into Department of Colorado VFW Auxiliary. All monies raised from this pin are to go to Operation Veteran Strong.

Do you all know that we have 5,292 Auxiliary members in the state of Colorado, not counting At Large membership. I am challenging EACH AND EVERY Auxiliary member to give $12 (a dollar a month) to support Operation Veteran Strong. My small Auxiliary has 60 members – that would equal $720!! If every member met my challenge, we could make $63,504 for our Veterans!! Just imagine how much we could donate if we all just gave up one coke or one coffee a month! Your $12 a year challenge money can be sent directly to Department Treasurer Lennie Dolan, just mark in the memo line that is for the $12 challenge for Phil’s Special Project.

I hope to see you all at the COA’s and share more stories and information how we can help our Veterans.

Queenie Barz