CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Veterans of Foreign Wars say “no one does more for veterans,” and one area post is hoping to do more by bringing back a secondary group to help better serve local veterans.
VFW Post 2397 on Ayers Street in Corpus Christi hasn’t had an auxiliary in a little less than a decade.
Now, a former member and local activist is working to bring the auxiliary back.
“I would do anything for our veterans because I owe them my freedom,” said Yolanda Guerrero.
Guerrero has a soft spot for veterans, even if she didn’t serve.
“I didn’t have the opportunity to go into the military, but I feel like I’m in the military,” Guerrero said.
Her family has a strong military tradition. Several cousins served, as did her son.
To honor them, she’s joined several veterans’ groups, including the Disabled American Veterans, the American Legion, and the VFW.
“I’ve been a member of the VFW since 1999,” she said.
Guerrero had been an active part of VFW Post 2397’s auxiliary, but in the mid 2010’s the auxiliary disbanded.
A few years ago, she joined the Calallen post, even serving as auxiliary president, but she wanted something closer to home.
“A lot of the people I know that want to become members, they say Calallen is too far for them,” Guerrero said.
So now Guerrero is on a mission to revive post 2397’s auxiliary.
She was told she needed 15 new members to get the auxiliary up and running. So far, she has 23 and counting. She’s doing it to serve those who’ve served.
“I see a veteran in need and I do my best to help them,” Guerrero said.
The auxiliary stands side by side with the VFW post in fundraising and service.
“We go to the veterans’ funerals, we visit the sick veterans,” Guerrero said. “We try to help the veterans as much as we can.”
Anyone is eligible to join the auxiliary, as long as a relative served during war.
For someone like Guerrero, who saw so many loved ones serve, she sees the auxiliary as a way to honor their sacrifice.
“In a way I feel like we’re serving our country,” Guerrero said.
The paperwork is being processed to get the auxiliary back up and running.
Anyone interested in joining should contact Guerrero at (361) 446-7049.
More Veterans In Focus stories are available here, along with resources for local veterans.
Contact Veterans In Focus reporters: Greg Chandler at greg.chandler@kristv.com and Pat Simon at pat.simon@kristv.com
