Sep 15, 2013
Past Department President for the Department of Maryland Ladies Auxiliary, Lee Lewis, set out to raise $20,000 to sponsor a VFW Operation UplinkTM “Free Call Day” as part of her President’s Special Project for the 2012-2013 year. The Free Call Days allow deployed troops and hospitalized veterans to call home for free on that day.
Her goal was to raise the money in time for Maryland Day, which is celebrated on March 25.
The original goal of $20,000 to sponsor one Free Call Day was quickly surpassed with the dedication and overwhelming response from the Maryland Ladies Auxiliaries. In fact, the group raised enough money to sponsor three Free Call Days.
The funds were raised mostly through collection envelopes distributed to the state’s Auxiliaries. When the collection envelopes were first introduced at a School of Instruction, Lee was quickly overwhelmed when members immediately reached into their pockets and donated over $900. In that moment, she was confident her project was going to be a huge success.
Lee was extremely proud of the Department of Maryland and other participating Ladies Auxiliaries for their efforts and the difference they made in the lives of our troops and veterans.
"Having personal experience with my husband being deployed twice, I know the importance of the phone calls back to family and friends. It’s good not only for the family, but for the soldiers’ well-being and morale as well," she said.
To learn more about the VFW Operation Uplink Free Call Day program, and other NMS programs, click here.