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Clinton VFW Aims to Increase Family Involvement with Auxiliary

VFW Post 9918 in Clinton is hoping to recruit members to form an auxiliary group at an open house on Thursday, Oct. 25 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at American Legion Post 66, 82 West Main Street in Clinton.

Post Adjutant Tom Kehoe said that the eligibility requirement to join the auxiliary post is that a potential member must have a relative that served in a combat theater of operation. Kehoe said that this requirement is an important distinction, as people with relatives who served in the armed forces in non-combat areas wouldn’t be eligible.

Kehoe said that the VFW is hoping to get at least 15 people so that they can form a charter and become an official group.

“They’ll help the VFW with community service and things like that,” Kehoe said.

Selling poppies and placing flags on gravestones are examples of the kinds of activities with which auxiliary members could help, Kehoe said.

“The money we get we want to put back into the veteran community,” Kehoe said.

Kehoe said that the idea to form an auxiliary post came about from discussions on how to expand the post to include younger members.

“We want to rekindle the youth. It’s great to get the young blood,” Kehoe said.

Kehoe said that by opening an auxiliary post to family members of combat veterans, the VFW is able to recruit more people to help with the organization’s mission. Kehoe encouraged people who aren’t sure of their eligibility but are interested in joining to attend the open house anyway, as the post can help direct them to an organization such as the American Legion that may be a better fit.

In addition to the October open house, VFW Post 9918 is also seeking to contact Gold Star Family members to be honored at a Thursday, Dec. 6 gala at the Clinton Country Club. The Gold Star Family title refers to those who have lost a family member in military service. Kehoe said that the families do not need to be from Clinton, and are invited to the event free of charge.

“We like to honor these families,” Kehoe said.

For more information about either the auxiliary or honoring local Gold Star Families, call Tom Kehoe at 860-669-6979.