Janey Feher, of Lynch, a member of the Bell County Veterans Memorial Auxiliary 11139, attended the 105th National Convention at Bartle Hall Convention Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

The convention marks the beginning of her second year serving as representative of Kentucky and Tennessee on the National Council of Administration, which governs the Auxiliary between national conventions.

A highlight of the convention was the second annual Circle of Excellence Ceremony, where 21 department (state) presidents were honored for their leadership during the 2017-2018 year.

Other highlights included the opportunity for members to view all 49 entries of the Young American Creative Patriotic Art entries and the Buddy Poppy display, in addition to attending several joint events with the VFW, such as the Joint Opening Session and the Patriotic Celebration.

During the convention, National President Dee Guillory commended the 2,000 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 nearly one million hours in the nation’s hospitals, and donating $300,000 to VFW Veterans and Military Support Programs, which includes Operation Uplink to provide long-distance calling opportunities to deployed soldiers and hospitalized veterans.

The election and installation of new National President Sandi Kriebel, a life member of Yingling-Ridgely Auxiliary 7472 in Ellicott City, Maryland, and the other 2018-2019 national officers, concluded the convention and brought Guillory’s term to an end.

Learn more at www.vfwauxiliary.org and www.facebook.com/VFWAuxiliary.