VFW Auxiliary

***This post was transferred from the Finding Horace blog.***

Originally published on Finding Horace 15 Mar. 2024.

In 1914, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary was formed to honor and support veterans.  The aim of this organization was to improve the lives of servicemen and women and their families through community assistance programs. 

Carmela (Aloisio) LaCagnina - Aunt Nell, as she was affectionately called - was my Grandma Rose's sister.  Aunt Nell's husband, Salvatore - Uncle Sall - was a veteran of World War I.  Aunt Nell's brothers, Bud and Pete, were World War II veterans.  Both brothers served in the 104th Infantry division known as the Timberwolves.

I don't know if Aunt Nell's family directly benefited from any of the VFW Auxiliary services (which include - but are not limited to - medical care, scholarships, and monitoring legislative concerns specific to veterans), but the program must have meant enough to her that she felt compelled to run for a post in the VFW Auxiliary in her area.  Just before the end of World War II, in April 1945, Aunt Nell became president of the Queens County VFW Auxiliary.  The picture below shows her looking on as the new commander of the Woodhull Veterans of Wars Post is installed.

Long Island Star-Journal, 26 Apr. 1945

I am uncertain how long she remained in this post, but the newspaper clipping below indicates she was still president as of April 1951.

Daily News, 29 Apr. 1951

She must have been well-respected as part of this organization.  When Nell's mother died as a result of a house fire, two different VFW Auxiliaries made donations to the Nassau Medical Burn Center in Sophie Aloisio's honor - the State of New York Ladies Auxiliary VFW and the Queens County VFW Auxiliary of which Nell had been president.

Furthermore, while I don't know of any personal achievements in this post, Aunt Nell will forever be associated with the greater achievements of this organization. According to the VFW Auxiliary site, from 2019-2021, the VFW Auxiliary provided over 660,000 volunteer hours in VA Medical Centers and other health-related services, made over 200,000 legislative contacts regarding important bills affecting veterans and their families, awarded nearly $300,000 in scholarships, and distributed more than 600,000 U.S. flags.  Not every achievement is an individual one.