Veterans to receive boost from VFW ladies

Friday, Feb. 18, 2000 | 10:22 a.m.

When Veterans of Foreign Wars Ladies Auxiliary President Lorraine Frier comes to Las Vegas next week, she will take a close look at what local medical facilities are doing for veterans.

"She will find on her tours of the (Addeliar Guy III) VA Ambulatory Care Center and the Mike O'Callaghan Federal Hospital much improved and expanding facilities for veterans," said Gail Cihlar, an Indian Springs resident and past member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary's National Council.

"I think she will be pleased to learn that the women's section will be enlarged" at the ambulatory care center, which is an outpatient facility.

The visit Tuesday and Wednesday is the first trek to Southern Nevada by the ranking member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary in two years. Past National President Connie Atkinson visited Las Vegas in 1998.

Frier, a resident of Fargo, N.D., was elected president of the organization that has more than 713,000 members at its 86th national convention last August in Kansas City. Nevada has 1,800 auxiliary members.

In addition to concerns about medical facilities for veterans, Frier is attempting during her presidency to restore a sense of patriotism among complacent Americans.

"Like the eagle, our symbol of freedom, we ... must soar throughout our land rekindling a belief in our democratic system," the mother of two and grandmother of four said during her first speech after being elected president of the organization that was founded in 1914.

"We must work together to promote patriotism and pride in our American way of life."

One of her goals as president is to raise $3 million for the Ladies Auxiliary Cancer Aid and Research Fund. Nearly 159,000 auxiliary members do volunteer work in veterans hospitals and medical centers each year. On Wednesday Frier will tour Nellis Air Force Base and visit both the Thunderbirds aerial demonstration team headquarters and the O'Callaghan Federal Hospital in the morning.