EDMONDS – There are some new ladies in town and they mean business.
Led by Shoreline residents Julie Pounds and Janet James, the recently formed Ladies Auxiliary of Post 8870, which includes about 22 women total, is up and running. Their first meeting took place Feb. 11.
“We do a lot of things the men don’t do,” James, 68, joked, pointing to the rummage sales and pancake breakfasts they have scheduled as a few of their upcoming fund-raisers.
Pounds, who acts as president of the auxiliary and James, senior vice president, said the group is catered to women who are connected to someone in the military oversees and want to support them by being active in a local group. Pounds’ husband, Duane Pounds, acts as the commander of Post 8870. James’ granddaughter and her husband currently serve in the military in Afghanistan.
“It’s an avenue for people who have a lot of feelings to support the military to exercise that,” James said.
The idea to form the auxiliary originated several months ago at the urging of Duane Pounds. The last auxiliary folded in 1995 due to lack of membership, Julie Pounds said.
Over the course of the next few months, Pounds and James said their primary goal is to increase the membership of the auxiliary and the post.
In addition, auxiliary members will plan upcoming fund-raisers and continue to donate their time to community service and send gifts and care packages to those serving oversees, Pounds said.
“We want it to be easy for other women to fulfill their need to help,” James said, “especially for senior women like us who have the time and energy.”
And while it may sound like being a part of the auxiliary is a lot of work, Pounds and James assure people that it is fun, too.
“You meet a lot of nice friends, people that have the same motives as you do,” James said.
Pounds added, “It’s work, but at the end of the day it’s very rewarding.”
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