THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 30, 1995 TAG: 9511280097
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 17 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAWSON MILLS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Long : 123 lines
In Hampton Roads, women joined the fleet about 50 years before they could officially go to sea with the Navy.
That is, they joined the Fleet Reserve Association.
Branch 60 of the Fleet Reserve Association, in Ocean View, traces its history to December 1933. By May 1934, the association had a ladies auxiliary. The auxiliary can legitimately fudge about its age, however; such organizations weren't recognized as an official part of the Fleet Reserve Association until after World War II. Norfolk's ``officially'' came into being as Unit 60 in March 1946.
In the Fleet Reserve Association, the branch is for the service members; the unit is the Ladies Auxiliary.
This holiday season, as they have for many years, the ladies of Unit 60 are making their presence felt.
At both Thanksgiving and Christmas, the ladies prepare three or four ``food baskets,'' each a complete holiday meal in a box. For Thanksgiving, the centerpiece is a turkey. At Christmas, it's either a turkey or ham.
The unit's welfare chairman, Muriel Reed of Norfolk, identifies needy families connected with the military to be the recipients. This year, a week before Thanksgiving, they already had filled a large donation box and were preparing to start filling individual boxes.
Other simpler baskets are prepared and distributed to residents of area nursing homes.
The ladies hold two craft and bake sales and a couple of car washes a year as fund-raisers. Contributions are made to a lengthy list of charities, including the Joy Fund, American Cancer Society, St. Jude's and the Bertha Snyder Children's Camp Fund.
``I joined because I felt I really wanted to be a part of something that would help the community, the military and myself,'' unit president Catherine Jenkins of Norfolk explained.
Unit 60 has more than 600 members. A heavy year-round schedule of community service projects is the reason many join.
``We like to think all of them are active in our charitable activities,'' explained publicity chairman Rebecca Cano of Norfolk, who acknowledges that there is a nucleus group of about 35 who are involved ``all the time.''
The unit hosts an annual Christmas party for the handicapped residents of Holiday House in Portsmouth. This year it's scheduled for Dec. 10; 38 residents, ages 9 to 23, will be brought to the Fleet Reserve Association's branch home in Ocean View. There, amid seasonal decorations, they'll find Santa Claus, refreshments and presents.
Afterward there's a second party for the members' children and grandchildren. That'll draw another 30 to 50 kids.
``The branch buys all the presents, and the ladies do all the work,'' Cano said, laughing.
The unit is active in the Marine Corps Reserve Toys For Tots program, helping to make sure there is at least one new toy for every needy child at Christmas.
The unit also hosts one bingo game a month at the Naval Hospital in Portsmouth. Patients on the ward where the game is held are treated to snacks, sodas and prizes.
Youth activities chairman Barbara Ryder of Virginia Beach oversees monthly visits to the Norfolk Detention Home, bringing a bingo game with refreshments to the residents. Individual members are involved with Girls Scouts and Brownies. Member Mildred Erwin of Norfolk has been working with the Scouts for more than 50 years. Such activities are a top priority; the current national project of Carolyn Combs, the national president, who is from neighboring Unit 99 in Virginia Beach, is ``Give Kids The World.''
Claire Richardson of Norfolk, the unit's chaplain, makes at least five visits each month to hospitals, nursing homes and private homes. A birthday party is brought to members over 80 years old who can't get out of their homes.
``I have several people that go,'' Richardson explained, ``about six, so it makes a nice little party. We bring a cake and punch and a gift.''
Americanism chairman Helene Evancho of Norfolk oversees the donation of flags to organizations such as the Scouts, schools, the detention home and churches; a dedication ceremony accompanies the donations. The unit is preparing to donate a large outside flag and seven classroom flags to the new Norfolk Detention Home; only the date remains to be set.
Members march in parades on St. Patrick's Day, Memorial Day and Veterans Day.
Every May there's a pilgrimage to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington, where a wreath-laying ceremony is held. Another wreath is laid at the mast of the USS Maine in Arlington.
Membership, in both the national organization and Unit 60, is wide-ranging.
``We have members all over the world,'' Cano said.
The first president of Unit 60, Mary Patterson, now lives in Australia. Mary Kay, editor of the Ladies Auxiliary column in ``Naval Affairs,'' the national magazine of the Fleet Reserve Association published in Alexandria, Va., is a member of Unit 60. Virginia Beach Mayor Meyera Oberndorf, according to Cano, is a member of Unit 99.
Unit 60 can boast of three past presidents for the East Coast Region: Dorothy Hickman, immediate past president; Agnes Coleman, a 43-year member and treasurer emeritus for the unit; and Dorothy Wiley, a 32-year member and chairman of the unit's audit committee.
Unit 60's members currently range in age from 16 to 90.
Membership is open to wives, mothers, daughters, grandmothers and granddaughters, age 16 and over, of Fleet Reserve Association members, and widows of eligible members at the time of their death. The Fleet Reserve Association field of membership includes both enlisted personnel and officers who have served at least one day as enlisted personnel. They must have served in the sea services: Navy, Marines or Coast Guard.
``Newer service members aren't aware that we're here,'' Cano said. ``We're not an organization for retired people only; we're also an active-duty organization. People hear `reserve' and think we're only for retired; we're for both.'' MEMO: For more information about Unit 60 of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Fleet
Reserve Association, contact vice president and membership chairman
Shirley Daily at 587-7822 or treasurer Janie O'Neill at 464-6641.
ILLUSTRATION: Photos by DAWSON MILLS
From left, Unit 60 welfare chairman Muriel Reed, chaplain Claire
Richardson and president Catherine Jenkins.
From left, Unit 60 treasurer Janie O'Neill, and past East Coast
Region presidents Agnes Coleman and Dorothy Wiley.
by CNB