Minnesota’s VFW Auxiliary President Patricia Thrond of Emmons, a member of Frank J. Kalis Auxiliary 1778, led the state delegation of the Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. at the 96th National Convention held Aug. 15-20 at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix.

As leading representative of the state, she voiced the delegates’ votes during the election of national officers and played a key role in deciding the direction of the national organization for 2009-2010.

A highlight of the convention was the announcement of the outstanding department presidents in the 11 membership groups at the National President’s Luncheon followed that by the presentation of the Ladies Auxiliary’s national youth scholarship winners.

Krysta Brown from Santa Barbara, Calif., will receive the National Junior Girls $10,000 scholarship; James Smith Jr., of Altoona, Pa., the Outstanding Young Volunteer of the Year Award and a $5,000 U.S. savings bond; and Savanah Miller of Mangum, Okla., the National Young American Creative Patriotic Art first-place $10,000 scholarship.

Other highlights include the opportunity for members to view the eight winning patriotic art entries and Buddy Poppy displays, in addition to attending joint events with the VFW.

During the convention, the national president commended the 3,500 attendees for all their hard work in honoring veterans and supporting deployed military personnel and their families. Members have spent millions of dollars and volunteer hours helping the heroes of our country.

The national president also thanked members for volunteering 1.5 million hours in the nation’s hospitals, raising money for the organization’s Cancer Aid & Research Fund, and donating $275,637 for Operation Uplink to provide long-distance phone cards to troops and hospitalized veterans.

Thousands of dollars have been donated to cancer research facilities across the country. National President Dixie Hild sent funds to the National Veterans Wheelchair Games, Fisher House Foundation, the Lakeshore Foundation, Heartland Museum of Military Vehicles, the Highground Veterans Memorial Park and other organizations across the country.

The election and installation of National President Jan Tittle, a life member of TSgt. Walter C. Fulda Auxiliary 3433 in Ladson, S.C., and the other 2009-2010 national officers concluded the convention and brought Hild’s term to an end.