National Commander Commentary

Chris Easley, Auxiliary National Commander

Make a difference this season

When I was a kid, you didn’t really hear anything about Christmas until after Thanksgiving. Now, here in the U.S., the season starts months earlier. Twelve percent of Americans—the overachievers maybe—start their shopping in September, and another 12% finish before the end of summer. Even with an early start, is there ever really enough time during the last few months of the year?

It’s easy to let the daily holiday stress consume us with the lack of money and time or the overwhelming seasonal commercialism. “A Christmas Carol” author Charles Dickens said, “Reflect on your present blessings—of which every man has many—not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” Because of his own family’s experiences with debtors’ prison, Dickens had a lifelong devotion to helping the underserved. He hoped his holiday story would “help open the hearts of the prosperous and powerful towards the poor and powerless.”

In Auxiliary terms, we call that “making a difference.” We make our difference through local units and the programs they support. Programs like adopting veterans and their families for a special holiday, supporting back-to-school needs for the kids of those who are deployed, and supporting caregivers with anything and everything. If you or your unit wants help standing up any of these programs, email us at [email protected]. We’ll get you the help and support you need so you can begin helping and supporting others.

The need doesn’t end there. Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals, clinics and nursing homes can all use your help this holiday season. The best part of volunteering during this time of year is building a sense of community and spreading happiness with every little thing you do for others. If you’d like to help, go to auxiliary.dav.org/volunteer for more information.

Mr. Dickens also once said, “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” This winter, lightening others’ burdens may seem like a big task, but you can do something that isn’t too overwhelming: Recruit a new member! The dues generated from each new member go directly to help those who need it by funding our programs. Not only that, new members come with new ideas and energy, which will invigorate the Auxiliary for many years to come.

If you want to find out more about the Auxiliary National Commander, you can find his biography here.