Helen Bell of Columbia, S.C., a member of Gandy-Griffin Auxiliary #4262, participated in the 97th National Convention of the Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) of the U.S. held August 21–26 at the Indianapolis Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The convention marked the beginning of her 2010–2011 term as national chairman for the 14 states in the Southern Conference on the Community Service Program.

A highlight of the convention was the announcement of the outstanding department presidents in the 11 membership groups at the National President’s Luncheon on Monday. Awards and resolutions to the national bylaws were announced and reviewed during Tuesday’s session, and many guests, including first– place Patriotic Art Winner Mariah Jorgensen and special award winner Dan Wallrath, were expected on Wednesday.

Other highlights included the opportunity for members to view the eight winning 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 Rally on Tuesday evening.

During the convention, the National President Jan Tittle commended the 3,000 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 1.2 million hours in the nation’s hospitals, raising $2.3 million for the organization’s Cancer Aid & Research Fund, and donating $296,920 to VFW National Military Services, which includes Operation UplinkTM to provide longdistance calling opportunities to deployed soldiers and hospitalized veterans.

Thousands of dollars have been donated to cancer research facilities across the country. National President Tittle sent funds to the National Veterans Wheelchair Games, Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund for repairs to The Three Servicemen statue, the Hospitalized Veterans Writing Project and many other organizations.

The election and installation of National President Cortina Barnes, a Life Member of Woodbridge Auxiliary #9755 in Washington, D.C., and the other 2010–2011 National Officers on Thursday, August 26, concluded the convention and brought Tittle’s term to an end.

To learn more about the nearly 550,000-member organization, visit www. ladiesauxvfw.org.