Friday evening we had the Joint Commander and President Homecoming dinner and awards. It was Hawaiian themed and somehow oh so appropriate for the massively NEGATIVE temperatures I've been enduring this week. I brought my own sarong for the occasion [don't ask] but Cassie Ale the National District Representative for the Auxiliary from Hawaii brought me a really nice lava lava and kukui nut necklace. I wore that in her honor but it's still minus 20 so I kept my pants on! It was a fun evening, just a few words of encouragement and then the auctions and raffles. The Big Raffle was for $10,000.....nope didn't win it but a wonderfully nice woman I had been talking to did. Happy for her.
The next day we had the VFW Council of Administration meeting. That's business so I won't report on that but I will report on one fantastic statistic. Women veterans comprised TWENTY FIVE PERCENT of all members present for the meetings. Way to go Alaska for leading the way. And, the women present were all in positions of leadership. Very exciting and a model we can all try to emulate. It was great seeing Past Commander in Chief Gary Kurpius and spending time with him. He gave me some encouraging words as I continue my journey.
Later Saturday evening we had the more formal dinner, speeches, and more raffles. Once again I got to spend time with some truly wonderful people on both the VFW and Auxiliary sides of the house. Information sharing and camaraderie were in high season and it was truly a fun event. The notes I had for my address to the crowd were apparently safe and warm in my hotel room so I spoke from the heart and let the people know what it truly means to be VFW. It's all about community. It's all about Ohana, and "ilaanuk"....family.
On Sunday I sat in on the Post audit which was so professionally done I wish I could have recorded it as a model for everyone else! Then we attended a Dignity Memorial held at the post for a long time friend of the VFW. This man moved to Wassila in 1935 and was a pillar of the community. It was touching and well attended.
Junior Todd and Charlotte drove me back to Anchorage. It was a nice drive and we had a great dinner before hitting the airport. Now, I sit and wait for whatever is going to happen. I'm certainly not going to change Delta's plans so I'm not going to get bent out of shape over it!
