Valley resident earns award

Genevieve West of Gardnerville, a member of Carson Valley Auxiliary No. 8583, was awarded a medallion recognizing her leadership during the National Conference of the Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States on April 4-6.

West was one of 47 state presidents who achieved the goal of 85 percent membership by Dec. 31, 2007. The event was held at the Hilton Resort in Palm Springs with 300 in attendance.

Also discussed at the mid-year conference was the progress of the ladies auxiliary's community service programs such as the Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest, the Hospital & VA Voluntary Service program and Cancer Aid and Research fund.

The 581,245 members of the national Ladies Auxiliary VFW, formed in 1914, are female relatives of those who served overseas during a war. The goal of the organization is to serve veterans by shipping care packages and phone cards to active-duty military personnel.

To apply for Ladies Auxiliary VFW youth scholarship and cancer research grants, go to ladiesauxvfw.org.