Department of Missouri

Youth Activities Program

2012-2013

Congratulations to all Auxiliary and District Youth Activities Chairmen for being appointed to the Youth Program. You have the honor of being the chairman of a very important program. The American youth is our future and we are here to help shape them into patriotic and civic adults for this great nation.

There have been a lot of changes to this program this year. There are no scholarships of any kind within the program. They have been moved to the Scholarships Program. Although the Jr. Girls Scholarship is still available, it will be sent to the Scholarships Program and I have included it in the Youth Activities folder. Our Youth Activities Program is in three parts as follows….

Junior Girls Units They are comprised of girls ages 5-16 who are daughters, sisters, granddaughters of eligible veterans to the VFW. These young ladies are an extension of the Auxiliary and should be utilized as such in helping our veterans. If your auxiliary doesn’t have a Unit please consider starting one. I am here to help you in installing new Units. My goal is to have each District in the Department to have at least 1 Jr. Girl Unit. We need 7 more Units instituted this year. Girls LOVE to do things for others. There will be fun things for our young ladies to do this year. The JUMP program is a great way for the girls to learn things that are important to this organization. I have dates set for the Jr. Girls in the Department to get together to do fun and exciting things. The JR. GIRLS GET TOGETHER IS JULY 6-7, 2012 IN MONETT at the Tom Wolfe Memorial VFW 4207. We will be earning JUMP Badges this year as individuals, Units, and as a Department. We will be “Glam”ing it up! at the Jr. Girls Conference will be March 16-17, 2013 at the Ramada Oasis Hotel in Springfield. The Conference Rules are in the Department of Missouri Jr. Girls Program Book that each of the Units have.

JUMP! Badges The JUMP! Badges do not have to be started from scratch each year. When a girl gets 10 Badges she will get a BRONZE badge from National. Do NOT HOLD the JUMP! Badge Applications until the end of the year. When that happens, National is swamped with putting them into the system.

I have a Special Project this year just for the Jr. Girls. We will be sending socks to the National Home for Children. I spoke with Nancy Archambeau at the National Home and they need white “no show” or “low rise” socks of all sizes for both boys and girls. As you may know, kids cannot find a matching pair of socks anywhere in their rooms. Well, it is the same way with the children that live at the National Home. Let’s take some pressure off of them by supplying them with as many NEW UNOPENED packages of socks as we can. If you do not sponsor a Unit, you can help by bringing the mentioned items to both the Fall C of A and the Winter C of A and I will gladly send them on to the National Home for Children. If you would like for a specific Unit to get the credit then please let me know.

JROTC If you are not sure if there is a JROTC in your area, go to your local High School and talk with the counselor. He/She will guide you to the local JROTC and how you can contact them. National Director Bonnie Drake said, “This program produces fine young men and women with an appreciation for patriotism, civic responsibility and military service.” This is a great group, so arrange for them to come to your memorials, events and programs that you might be holding in your communities. These young people are the future of our military. Let’s give them some recognition in the job they are preparing for.

Be sure to watch the General Orders for more exciting things that is in store for the Youth Activities Program. If there is anything I can do to help you with this program, feel free to call me … ANY TIME. Please remember to report things you are doing with the Youth in your community and please do not forget to report on what the Jr. Girls are doing also.

While we are “Serving From the Heart for Our Veterans”, “Watch” what WE can do for our Veterans” as we are “Growing up with love for Veterans in our hearts.”

Karen Cypret, (pronounced SIGH-pret)

Department Youth Activities Chairman

22222 Whiplash Lane Washburn, Missouri 65772

Home# (417) 826-5226 Cell# (417)342-8366

kcypretlavfw@yahoo.com