Junior Members
DAV Auxiliary > Membership > Junior Members
Families are encouraged to start a life membership for children to lock in the life membership rate of $250.00 with a $20 down payment. Payments can be made at the family’s discretion. Any amount paid while under the age of 18 will be applied to the life membership amount of $250.00.
Junior members of the DAV Auxiliary consist of boys and girls from birth to age 17. They are eligible for membership through a family member who is a DAV Auxiliary member or who served in the military and was honorably discharged.
Children 17 years old and younger are eligible for a complimentary membership that expires July 1 of the year they turn 18 years of age.
Junior Auxiliary members have the ability to maintain their own Junior Auxiliary Unit Charter. These juniors will elect a Commander and Senior Vice Commander to conduct meetings, typically at the same time the DAV Auxiliary Unit meets. No bank account shall be opened for a junior auxiliary; however any funds collected through donations or fundraising shall be deposited in the Unit checking account and earmarked for junior projects. There is no charge to obtain a Junior charter, but a minimum of ten Junior members is required.
Junior Auxiliary members have the ability to maintain their own Junior Auxiliary Unit Charter. These juniors will elect a Commander and Senior Vice Commander to conduct meetings, typically at the same time the DAV Auxiliary Unit meets. No bank account shall be opened for a junior auxiliary; however any funds collected through donations or fundraising shall be deposited in the Unit checking account and earmarked for junior projects. There is no charge to obtain a Junior charter, but a minimum of ten Junior members is required.
They can also assist outside of school by participating in social events at local nursing homes or Veteran Administration Medical Centers, parades, flag ceremonies, Welcome Home events, honor flight events, Forget-Me-Not drives, State level fundraising activities at Conventions or Conferences, and much, much more. Junior members do not have to be involved in a junior auxiliary unit to participate.
The purpose of the program is to help encourage children to help other children in their communities and schools. This could be by hosting a hat and gloves drive, a coat drive, a food drive, or even a book drive. Children would be helped and junior auxiliary members would feel like they, too, can make a difference. They can also encourage their friends to help with the programs.
The biggest challenge put forth was the Camp Golden Corral project. Juniors are being challenged to collect as much change as possible, and everything donated will be used for transportation costs of children attending the camp. Camp Corral is free to children of military families, but transportation expenses are the responsibility are not provided. This is where the DAV Auxiliary comes in. All money collected is applied to the transportation costs.
The purpose of Camp Corral is to allow children of deployed, deceased, and injured Veterans to have a week away from home, learn more about themselves and others, and have some fun. Sponsored and established by Golden Corral restaurants, the camp gives children the opportunity to unwind from the stressors of being a military child while making new friends in the process. Any child from any state is eligible to attend to learn more, please visit www.campcorral.org.
Junior Auxiliary members who meet the necessary requirements may have their names submitted for the National Junior Member of the Year award. This award is based on the junior member’s activities during the selected calendar year. There are three age categories associated with this award. Please find the Junior Award information here.
For those juniors who volunteer at the local VA Medical Centers, parents and guardians should check for local scholarship programs through voluntary services and get more information about the DAV Jesse Brown Youth Scholarship.
Units can show their appreciation of Junior members by using this template to prepare membership cards for them. Copy the template onto a sheet of substantial paper stock, fill in the junior’s information and present it to them. Let your juniors experience DAVA pride with their special identification card.
Reward Junior members with a Certificate of Appreciation. In our ongoing efforts to encourage youth involvement and instill a strong sense of patriotism, this certification of appreciation has been designed to assist units with recognition of junior member activities. Simply print off the certificate and show them how much their efforts are appreciated.
Did you know Junior History Books can be submitted for judging on the national level at the national convention? Many units have active Junior members and it is worth the effort to create a lasting memory and capture the history of activities throughout the year. The history book can be an event for the Juniors to work on together and take pride in their final project as they relive their experiences. If submitting for national judging, use this document as a reference tool for coordinating the Junior History Book. Be creative, but most of all have fun!
