“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.” – Heny Ford.
I want to take a moment to sincerely thank each of you, the auxiliary members, my sisters and brothers of the Department of Colorado VFW Auxiliary, for continuing to support our Veterans, Active Service Members, and their families. There have been many obstacles to overcome, to get where we are today, but it is the love, passion, and commitment that you all have for our Veterans, Military Members, and their families that give them hope and make our Legislators listen to the issues they face and work towards a solution. Without you, our voice would not be as mighty as it is, and their plights would go unnoticed.
During the first few months to the start of my year as President, I have been truly grateful for the grace and mentoring that I have received, and I know that we all have struggles that we face in the auxiliary. With this, I want to remind everyone, that we are all working towards one goal, which is to ensure that our Veterans, Active Military Personnel, and their families are always taken care of and never left behind. Our goal is one of great importance, especially to them, and it does not do well for conflict to reside among us, when there are much greater issues of importance for us to focus on.
There have already been some issues to address and obstacles to overcome this year, and I am extremely grateful for the absolutely amazing team members that we have in our Department who have stepped up to mentor, support, and help others grow within our Auxiliary. These members have done absolutely amazing jobs in assisting and mentoring auxiliaries around the state, and helping them to navigate difficult situations, which will only help to make our Department Auxiliary stronger. The stronger we are together, the more we can accomplish together in taking care of our Veterans, Active Military Personnel, and their families, but we must remember to grant each other grace, understanding, and compassion when difficult situations or conflict arises, or we will fall short of completing our mission to help those who are the heart of our organization. If there are issues that cannot be resolved or addressed, please reach out to any Department Line Officer, District Officer, or trusted mentor to help with the situation; as we cannot help or offer guidance if an issue is not brought to our attention.
Even among the many obstacles that needed to be overcome, the auxiliaries have kept moving forward and started off the year with a bang, and I am amazed with all that has already been accomplished this year. There have been many exciting events held, more being planned, and it has been absolutely wonderful to see. I know that we all strive to work on programs throughout the year, and that there are some programs that are closer to our hearts than others, use the passion that you have for a program that you care about to mentor and foster new auxiliary members about that program. Sharing our passions and strengths, is how we will continue to succeed in all that we do.
Those who know me, know that I am passionate about helping others, and making others feel heard about their experiences. My special project for this year, which is a combined special project with Commander Carol Thomas, focuses on ensuring that those who have experienced Military Sexual Trauma (MST), Sexual Assault/Harassment, or Domestic Violence have their voices heard and that they have the resources to either begin their journey of healing or continue on their healing journey through the White Ribbon Project and supporting the “Equine-imity” program through the Rocky Mountain VA. The “Equine-imity” program will help survivors on their healing journey in a non-traditional way. The format they will use, is similar to how the program is tailored to our Veterans who experience PTSD participate, but it will be focused on how to best help survivors of MST, Sexual Assault/Harassment, and Domestic Violence. I am very excited to see the implementation of this program in regards to Intimate Partner Violence (IVP), and look forward to seeing the program grow. To do this, awareness of these issues and information on prevention needs to happen, and in order to do that, we all need to begin with believing the individual, showing compassion to one another, and by educating where we can. These topics are difficult to speak about, but if we want to see change occur, we must speak out, inform, and educate others about these issues. I hope you will all join myself and Commander Thomas in bringing awareness to these issues.
Trainings, which don’t have to be long, are great ways to get information out about all of the programs. These can be done in as little as 5 or 10 minutes, and can be done at an auxiliary meeting or joint district meeting. I have seen some creativity, while visiting the different districts, and if you need ideas on how to do a quick training, reach out to your Department Chairmen or anyone that you may know who has a passion for the program, and don’t forget to report all the hard work that is done for each of these programs. When we all help each other, we continue to grow in our successes in the organization.
I know that we will continue to have a great year, despite any obstacles that we may face, and I am blessed and grateful to be part of the Department of Colorado Auxiliary and know that our organization is full of mentors that can be looked to. Thank you for all that each of you continue to do, to help our organization become better for our Veterans.
Wishing you all a very Blessed Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!
Warmest Wishes,
Nadia Flores
Department VFW Auxiliary President
VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS OF THE UNITED STATES AUXILIARY
DEPARTMENT OF COLORDO
GENERAL ORDERS #2 November 1, 2024
All General Orders from the Department President are official and need to be read at the first meeting following receipt before being filed for reference.
- Presidents on all levels are reminded that their duties in accordance with Section 810 of the National Bylaws are to preside and maintain order and enforce a strict observance of the Bylaws and ritual of the organization, appoint all officers and committees not otherwise provided for, see that there is no disruption during the meeting and if so, has the right to have the member causing the disruption removed.
- Members should address all remarks to the President, not to other members in attendance. Members should stand and be recognized by the President and, if two stand at the same time, the President will decide who is recognized first.
- No member will disrespect or embarrass any member of this organization at any time.
- Department President Nadia Flores’s Special Project is The White Ribbon Project supporting the Equine-imity Program. Proceeds from the sale of the Veteran Pin and donations will go to support this fund.
- Suggested donations to Health & Happiness should be processed through MALTA or mailed directly to National Auxiliary Headquarters in Kansas City earmarked for Health and Happiness. Department Hospital donations should be mailed to Department Treasurer Cindy Anderson. The suggested Department Hospital donation is $.75 per member. Both donations are based on your June 30, 2024, membership number.
- District Presidents and Auxiliary Presidents: Please be sure that all Districts and Auxiliaries have filed their 990N or other appropriate 990 return by November 15, 2024. A copy of the acceptance confirmation for the 990N should be sent to Department Treasurer, Cindy Anderson.
As of October 15, 2024
| District 1 | 2023 | 2024 | % | District 8 | 2023 | 2024 | % | ||
| 1 | Denver | 181 | 164 | 90.61 | 859 | Leadville | 17 | 18 | 106* |
| 322 | Englewood | 76 | 61 | 80.26 | 11411 | Lake George | 48 | 48 | 100* |
| 5061 | Denver | 174 | 154 | 88.51 | 12009 | Conifer | 32 | 37 | 116* |
| 9644 | Fort Logan | 354 | 328 | 92.66 | TOTAL | 97 | 103 | 106* | |
| TOTAL | 785 | 707 | 90.06 | ||||||
| District 2 | District 9 | ||||||||
| 2788 | Penrose | 45 | 28 | 62.22 | 4264 | Stmbt Spgs | 28 | 28 | 100* |
| 3641 | Pueblo | 62 | 46 | 74.19 | 4265 | Craig | 37 | 31 | 83.78 |
| 4061 | Canon City | 102 | 76 | 74.51 | 5843 | Meeker | 31 | 30 | 96.77 |
| 5812 | Pueblo West | 45 | 37 | 82.22 | 9374 | Kremmling | 22 | 22 | 100* |
| 7305 | Colo City | 23 | 10 | 43.48 | TOTAL | 118 | 111 | 94.07 | |
| 8898 | Boone | 18 | 11 | 61.11 | |||||
| TOTAL | 295 | 208 | 70.51 | ||||||
Greetings Auxiliary Members,
President Nadia and Commander Carol has joined together for their Special Project. The monies raised through sales of the Veteran pin will be going to their joint Special Project, the “Equine-imity” Program of the White Ribbon Project. My goal is that each Auxiliary buy at least 10 of the Veteran pins.
The “Equine-imity” Program is a project in which those who receive services for any of the above referenced and in need of help, would be able to participate in a program that isn't the standard approach of therapy. Individuals who participate in the “Equine-imity” Program would participate in sessions that would span over approximately six weeks, assisting them to heal through connecting with the animals at Horse Partners. Currently, the project is geared more towards Veterans and Veteran caregivers, but the Intimate Partner Violence Assistant Program (IPVAP) has already been looking at creating a model of this for the survivors of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse. The Rocky Mountain Regional VA would be the second VA facility to incorporate the program. San Diego VA was the first to implement this program for IPTV survivors.
Please remember our Veterans that are homebound, in hospitals or in our VA community living centers, phone call or a card during the holiday season goes a long way in lifting their spirits. So come on Colorado, let’s get busy creating new memories and working together for “All Veterans, All Voices”.
Hugs,
Patsy Gilmore
Special Project Chairman
Greetings Auxiliary Members,
Where has 2024 gone? Can you believe that the holiday season is already upon us again? Please take a moment to review the tasks on the All State Achievement Auxiliary/ District Report form. Being familiar with the tasks to earn points that are needed to reach the minimum points required may also help your Auxiliary remain healthy and successful. Both the Auxiliary/ District Report forms can be found on the Colorado Department website, vfwco.org or in the 2024-2025 Colorado Program book. All Auxiliaries, Post or District that meet the following requirements are eligible to receive the All State Achievement Award.
#1 – The Auxiliary reach the minimum points required.
#2 – The All State Achievement Report form be completed and
submitted by the deadline.
#3 – The All State Achievement Report form be signed by the President, Secretary and Treasurer.
Good luck to all Auxiliaries, both Post and District! Thank you all for the hard work and the volunteering you do to support our Veterans and their families. I would like to encourage all Auxiliaries to share what they are doing by sending in program reports. So come on Colorado, let’s get busy creating new memories and working together for “All Veterans, All Voices”.
Hugs,
Patsy Gilmore – Chairman
Charlotte Lattin
Gayle Stockwell
All State Achievement Committee
Salute to all Colorado VFW Auxiliary Brothers and Sisters!
This calendar year is coming to a quick close with only Oct. Nov. and Dec. to close 2024 out. It is important to continue to fill our calendar with projects, programs and education opportunities to share with our veterans, families and communities. We all use calendars to schedule appts., make sure we get to meetings, and plan family/friends’ events. I am sharing with you a varied collection of opportunities to engage in Americanism for these next 3 months using USA/International/World days to remember and honor our veterans, active duty and their families and our communities. Best way to keep track of all things important is with calendars. Invite me to your Americanism programs, projects, events. I will attend as many as I am able to taking pictures, observing and collecting all the amazing stories and names of your brothers and sisters who are helping to bring our Americanism year of 2024 to a loud and proud close! Our National Americanism Ambassador, Katlyn, will receive all the collections I receive from your auxiliary to show her how proud and dedicated we in Colorado are to carry on the Americanism torch into 2025!
So here we go….
October – Agent Orange Awareness Month, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, National Small Business week 10/29-11/2, Every Friday is Red Shirt Day to remember our Deployed, Rosh Hashanah 10/2-10/4, Yom Kippur 10/11-10/12, 2nd Coffee with a Cop Day/International Day of Non-Violence, 4th National Truckers Appreciation Day, 5th National Do Something Nice, 6th German-American Day, 6th Afghanistan War Enduring Freedom Began 2001, 7th Afghanistan War Began, 8th National Heroes’ Day, 9th National Stop Bullying Day, 10th World Mental Health Day, 11th National Spread Joy Day, 13th US Navy Birthday, 14th National Dessert Day/Cinnamon Roll Day, 20th Women’s Army Corp. Disestablished [1978], 21st National Pets for Veterans Day, 24th United Nations Day, 26th National Day of the Deployed, 27th US Navy Day. I will be awarding a prize to an auxiliary member at COA in Grand Junction who can tell me the difference between US Navy Birthday and US Navy Day. Hope you are reading thru this article for a chance to win a prize!
BUDDY POPPY
Happy fall. I want to thank everyone for submitting their reports. It great to see all the wonderful activities the Auxiliaries are doing. Keep up the great work!
I can’t believe November is already here! I hope everyone is putting the finishing touches on their poppy displays and poppy distribution events for Veterans Day.
Also, it’s time to start thinking about your poppy display entry for the Convention and National competition. Order your poppies now so you will have enough poppies for your entry.
Just a reminder about the new order form. You will need to include your VFW Auxiliary membership # on the form. There is a link to the new form at the bottom of the Department of Colorado homepage (https://vfwco.org)
NATIONAL HOME
I am receiving a few reports of donations to the National Home. Please remember to include the National Home in your activities and donations. Report! Report! Report!
On January 7, 2025 the VFW National Home will turn 100 years old! It is time to CELEBRATE! The VFW National Home was the FIRST National Program for the VFW Auxiliary. I hope each Auxiliary will be sending a birthday card to the VFW National Home. Please have the cards to the National Home by the beginning of January so they can be displayed for the birthday party. Instead of sending gifts for the traditional birthday party, remember that the VFW National Home has an Amazon Wish List with things they could use, or your Auxiliary could make a donation to help with costs of the 100th celebration in June.
There are so many different ways to support the Home, including:
- National Home’s Amazon Wishlist
- Become a Life Member
- Donate to Health & Happiness
- Purchase a brick for the Tribute Park
- Become a Hometown Hero contributor
There are many events and special things planned for the birthday celebration for the National Home. Please participate and help in all of the celebrations. The biggest celebration will be held at an event on the National Home grounds in June 2025. For more information visit their website at https://vfwnationalhome.org or follow them on Facebook.
Kathy Kurtenbach
Buddy Poppy-VFW National Home Chairman
Hello to all!
As you read this, we have already completed our second Council of Administration. If you did not attend in person or via zoom – then it is possible you missed out on important information. Please reach out to each of our Department Chairman and ask for information that you may have missed out on.
Quick housekeeping – the email previously given in the August Coloradoan is not working. If you have emailed me via that email box and have not received a response, I apologize. Please forward me any emails previously sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. I have sent out several emails to District Presidents, Deputy Chief of Staff, and some to Auxiliary Presidents – please make sure information that is being sent out is being provided to your membership. Of course, if there is a topic or question you have – please keep sending them to me via email, text or calling me. You never know who else as the same question or is looking for the same information!
Help me, help all of you succeed this year!
Thank you to everyone who has been emailing questions – the best way to learn is to ask questions! For those who have not logged into VFW Auxiliary Malta lately or ever – the new 2025 Bylaws and ritual book is available via members resources. Any member can download the bylaw & ritual book to their computer, tablet, and cell phone for a quick reference. Using the PDF (Adobe) format, did you know you can search keywords, and the document will take you to each section those keywords are listed – making finding information quick and easy.
As a reminder, the bylaws and rituals are the foundation (policies and procedures) in which our organization is based on. These bylaws are not suggestions on how an auxiliary can governed and ran instead it is how all auxiliaries should and will be governed and ran. Each level is to follow the national bylaws & ritual as well as any bylaws that are written and approved at the department, district or local level that are not previously covered in the national bylaw & ritual book.
Do you know of a bachelor post who has mentioned that they would like an auxiliary? If yes, please send them my way! President Nadia and I are eager to talk to more bachelor posts about the benefits of having an auxiliary as well as starting them on the path acquiring one.
Lastly, for those who know me – knows I love a good challenge. If you missed Council of Administration, then you missed my most recent challenge and I encourage you email me to find out so that you can help your auxiliary win a monetary prize at the March COA.
Stephanee Trujillo
Department Chief of Staff
Department Chief of Staff
Good afternoon Auxiliary Brothers and Sisters!
Even though the Auxiliary Outreach Program has been in effect for the past five (5) years, there still seems to be a lot of confusion on what is considered Auxiliary Outreach and what is NOT considered Auxiliary Outreach.
I know that our Auxiliaries are very busy in our communities, helping others. I also know that they do a lot for our Veterans. The main differences are –
When you help the Veterans, it is NOT considered Auxiliary Outreach! That falls under Veterans and Family Support.
When the Auxiliary has a booth at an event and the Auxiliary gets credit for the booth – that is NOT Auxiliary Outreach! That falls under Community Service.
But when the Auxiliary helps another organization in the community by working one of their booths, handing out water, manning the fishing pond, registering entries, etc.
Auxiliary Outreach is for project NOT AFFILIATED with the VFW or VFW Auxiliary programs. Again, there are a few rules: The event must be voted on by the Auxiliary membership AND the Auxiliary members must wear their Auxiliary name tag, shirt, hat, etc. that identifies them as Auxiliary members.
So we are going to play a game – and I have a few prizes for those who get the answers correct!!
I’ll give a few examples and you will tell me if it is or is not Auxiliary Outreach.
- John, who is an Auxiliary member, mowed his neighbor’s lawn (the neighbor was a Veteran) out of the goodness of his heart. Is this Auxiliary Outreach? No this is NOT Auxiliary Outreach. It would fall under Veterans and Family Support.
- Susan, an Auxiliary member, went to donate blood. She noticed how busy the Red Cross volunteers were. She offered to stay and help, and they accepted. Is this Auxiliary Outreach? This is NOT Auxiliary Outreach. However, while she was there, she asked if they could use help in the future. They said yes. She brought it up at the next Auxiliary meeting, the Auxiliary voted yes to help with future Blood Drives. Now when there are blood drives, Sue and other members of the Auxiliary are there, wearing their Auxiliary attire and helping. This IS Auxiliary Outreach.
- Paul, an Auxiliary member, visited the local Senior Center and found out that the center helps mow lawns and gather wood for other community members. He brought this up at his local meeting. The Auxiliary voted to partner with the Senior Center. Is this Auxiliary Outreach? Yes! It is helping another organization not affiliated with the VFW or Auxiliary.
- Linda, an Auxiliary member, took her cat to the local spay and neuter animal clinic. They were overrun and needed help. At the next meeting, she brought this up at the local meeting. The Auxiliary voted to partner with the animal clinic. Is this Auxiliary Outreach? Yes!
Hopefully, these examples will answer some of our questions. Continue to send me the reports and IF they are not Auxiliary Outreach, I will send them on to the appropriate chairman. Also, please give more information in the notes. Tell us WHAT you are doing; not just working a Fun Run – tell us that you handed out water, registered entries, flagged traffic, etc.
Thank you all for participating and continue to report, report, report.
Queenie Barz
Auxiliary Outreach Chairman
Greetings brothers and sisters!
I hope you are all enjoying the fall and all it has to offer. For me, this is my favorite season of the year. I love the cooler weather, football, and of course all things pumpkin. Although it’s important year-round, I think it’s even more important that we keep our hospitalized veterans in our minds this time of year.
Going through the holidays hospitalized and alone can be tough on anybody. A lot of us plan events for Christmas, but let’s also remember Thanksgiving, Veterans Day, or really, any day of the week is a good day to visit our veterans!
In September, my sister and I along with several other auxiliary members, volunteered for the VA’s annual baby shower. It is always such an honor to do this, meet the expecting parents and feel their appreciation for what they are given. I would love for us to focus even more this year on women veterans’ health. You can always host your own baby shower or make donations to baby showers others are holding. These events are a good opportunity for you to gather together all the resources available to women veterans that they may not know about and get it distributed to them.
Another area I’m going to keep talking about this year is recruiting volunteers. This is my third time as your hospital chair, and nobody has ever reported to me that they recruited volunteers. Remember, these volunteers don’t have to be auxiliary members. The facilities also don’t have to be VA facilities. If you have a facility in your area, reach out to them to see what their needs are. Then, as an auxiliary, vote on a project, and then start asking everyone that know if they’d like to come along and help. As your kids and grandkids, their friend, co-workers, church group or book club friends, ask everyone!
Please reach out to me if you have any questions.
Happy Holidays to all! Stay safe and warm.
Loyally,
Brandi Dolan
Hospital Chairman
Our Legislative Program year is well underway and I am very pleased with members’ participation on many levels! Auxiliary members are watching the news, the debates, the candidate’s platform presentations and attending and participating in community forums. They are signing up to become poll workers, monitors and election judges. They are sending letters and calling their representatives regarding veteran issues. And very important, Auxiliary members are taking the time to report their activities – this is such a critical aspect of our efforts. It is my mission this year to keep you on the leading edge of issues and legislation that you need to know about. Here are some things that you can do to keep your members informed and active:
- If you have not already done so, please sign up for Action Corps Weekly and ask your Auxiliary teammates to do the same. Respond to VFW Action Alerts and make sure that your members do the same. When you sign up, you will automatically be subscribed to the Weekly Newsletter which will keep you updated on the issues and events that you need to know about. You don’t have to be an Auxiliary member to sign up or participate – encourage friends, teachers, community members, and others to sign up also – they can help too ! Within our state, our response rates to Action Alert recommendations ranges from a low of 1% of our total (VFW and Auxiliary members) to as much as 15%. Let’s get our Alert response rate up in our state ! There may be a Conference Challenge Program coming soon where we in Western Conference can show those in the other conferences how committed we are in Colorado to our veterans based on how we respond to and act on Action Alerts – more information on this to follow.
- Continue to watch TV and listen to Radio News (as much as you can tolerate), attend town hall meetings, vote in local and national elections, attend school board and other community events. Keep sending letters to your legislators–Let your voice be heard ! Keep track of your time, your mileage, and your contributions, if applicable. Report this information yourself or through your Auxiliary. If you discover something that is important with respect to our Veterans and families within your community, send me a note so that I can let everyone know.
- As noted previously, one of my key subjects last year, and an issue that I spoke about all over our state, was combatting “Claim Sharks.” These legal firms prey on veterans and families by attempting to take large portions of benefits due them from settlements like PACT Act, Camp Lejune victims, extended Vietnam benefits, etc. Encourage anyone applying for benefits to contact a VFW Veteran Service Officer first before going to one of these law firms. There is Claim Shark Legislation currently in the works within Colorado – I will continue to update you on this very important subject as more information becomes available.
Greetings Auxiliary Members!
As the Scholarship National Ambassador, Dina Hudson, exclaimed in her October promotion….”ALL ABOARD! The scholarship program has set sail!”
The Patriot Pen and Voice of Democracy winners for each participating VFW Post should be on their way to District judging by November 15, 2024, and those District winners should be forwarded to the Department for judging by December 15, 2024. Thank you to all the Auxiliaries for their support and promotion of this VFW Scholarship Program.
The next areas of focus for the Scholarship Program are the Continuing Education Scholarship, the Young American Patriotic Art and the 3-Dimensional Patriotic Art Scholarships. The Continuing Education Scholarship is due to National Headquarters by February 15, 2025. The Patriotic Art Contests are due to your local auxiliaries by March 31, 2025. More information for these scholarships can be found at vfwauxiliary.org/scholarships, in MALTA Membership Resources, or you may contact me directly for more information.
Please remember to focus on the following areas for the Scholarships Program: student participation, recipient recognition, community awareness, and increasing the Escrow Funds available for the Patriotic and 3-Dimensional Art Contests. Please remind all members of your Auxiliary to REPORT, REPORT, REPORT!! The best way to ensure the continuing growth and support of our organization is by continuing to support and encourage our younger generations through these scholarship opportunities.
Sincerely,
Crystal Proffitt
Scholarship Chairman
Hello everyone and welcome to a new quarter in our reporting year. I want to talk about suicide prevention. We generally worry about our Veterans when it comes to this, but it really applies to all of us. We can make a difference to one person with a little bit of our time or kindness. Be the light for even one person in your life. We all need that someone to do that for us.
I would like to highlight a local Veteran Organization that is working to do just that by getting Veterans and their families or friends out into Nature. Veterans Exploration Therapy was founded by VFW Post 1 member Deke Letson when he needed an outlet for some of the darkness he was experiencing. I recently joined them on a couple of adventures, the first was cross country skiing up at Echo Lake back in April of this year. The other was a paint and sip at their working space on 6Th and Santa Fe. You can see their upcoming events on their website and please bring your family to join you in the adventure. Veterans Exploration Therapy (vetxtherapy.org)
As a reminder please note The Crisis Line 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1, chat online, or send a text message to 838255 to receive confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Support for deaf and hard of hearing individuals is available. There is also the new number 988. Also available are many resources to assist someone with mental health. Together let’s change the stigma surrounding mental health!
I am excited to meet more people and learn in Grand Junction later this month. Please plan to attend.
Christina (Tina) Lilly
Veterans and Family Support Chairman
Hello Auxiliary brothers and sisters,
I am so happy to see reports coming in for Youth Activities. I have 6 districts that have submitted reports this far and more to come. Its great to see that many of you are working with youth groups. Having participation with youth and letting them know that they are a very important part of the future, encourages them to continue on a path of learning from and respecting our Veterans. Engaging with youths is so rewarding. I am excited to see those connecting with schools, libraries or setting up an event with Youth reading to Veterans & Veterans reading to youth. I am also excited for our reading events as well as the Veterans I have asked to participate in this. The smile on their faces was heartwarming when they were asked to be included. I can’t wait to bring our story to you all.
I would like to just remind everyone of the important key areas of this year’s program:
Youth reading to Veterans & Veterans reading to youth
Youth groups
Illustrating America
R.A.P. Cards (Random Act of Patriotism)
Youth reading to Veterans & Veterans reading to youth:
Reading is a big part of growing up and learning. Many students have nightly reading starting at a young age in school. Sometimes just talking to the students about patriotism, America and our country can be dull. But taking the students on a journey in a book might capture their attention more and open their minds up. I find that children like to listen to new things with a bit of excitement in learning and they tend to remember what they learned. Showing them through illustrated books is a great way to teach the younger children about America, Patriotism, and the sacrifices our Veterans have made.
Great way to access material is on the MALTA member resources, under Youth Activities they have the Patriotism through Literacy list. It is even divided up by grade levels. Pick some books from there.