AUXILIARIES ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE ACTIVELY AND FULLY

What do we mean by “auxiliary”? MOAA uses the term to identify the surviving spouse of a deceased member. Of these survivors, 99 percent are women. In the St. Petersburg (Fla) Chapter of MOAA we refer to auxiliaries as “special members.” Regardless of what we are called, we are the surviving spouses of MOAA members and hopefully play an important role.

Now that our spouses are no longer with us, we must remember to look to MOAA for help, guidance, and support just as our spouses did. They believed in MOAA, and perhaps your loved one made it possible for you to continue a life membership or annual membership. MOAA at the national level is there to help you, and so are the officers of your local chapter. Please remember that, and call on them when you need answers.

At the chapter level, we want special members to feel as much a part of the chapter as the regular members. We would like you to actively participate. I know you all have talent and skills, so come forward and share them with us. We need you to know that we want you to be an active part of a chapter and to know that MOAA is for you as well. If you have thoughts or concerns, fee free to bring them to a local board member so that they can be addressed. You can always call national MOAA with questions; in most cases they can find an answer or solution for you. They are there for you.

Please become involved, and do come to our monthly meetings. You are a vital part of our membership.

Just a reminder to all the spouses of current members–if your spouse has not shared vital information with you regarding wills, bank accounts and the like, please urge him or her to sit down with you and go over everything. This will make it so much easier for you if or when our partner is no longer with you.

Violet Smith
Auxiliary Member Advisory Committee

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