HISTORIAN AND MEDIA RELATIONS
Welcome to the hot days of summer to all our SD Auxiliaries.
I am Dani Bolte, from the Brandon Three Rivers Post #4726. I hope to expand on what Colleen and Toni have done in the past years as the Department Historian/Media Relations Chairman for South Dakota. Thank you Colleen for asking me to be this great chairperson for our SD Auxiliary this year.
I am known as the picture taker to all my friends and family. I love to post events for my local Auxiliary.
I am very interested in seeing the wonderful projects that are done around the state.
I am always available for questions either by phone or video chat. I would love to come to some of your events if I am available.
I joined the VFW Auxiliary under my dad Jack Walter who served with the US Army in Korea from November 4th of 1954 to August 24 of 1956. My Dad really did not talk about his time being deployed often but he would show us the pictures and home movies that he took on occasion. Unfortunately when we moved my parents to the lake all the videos were somehow lost. I have been busy working on my Ancestry family tree and I cannot believe all my family members that have served in the different branches of our military. My son Jonathan served four years with our US Navy. My sailor was on the USS Blue Ridge and USS Ronald Reagan Nimitz-class aircraft carrier. He was stationed in Yokosuka, Japan. During this time is when I joined the Brandon Auxiliary. He met his girlfriend while he deployed and they traveled together to beautiful places while on leave. He returned to the US just in time to help me with my Dad whose health was failing. Both my parents have departed this land and I believe are dancing away in heaven.
I have a very busy personal life working full time for Bluepeak. I run an Airbnb at Mina Lake with my sister. I can be found in my gardens or scrapbooking if I am not at a lake or on vacation. My boyfriend Lance and I love to travel and recently traveled to Vientiane Laos for my son Jonathan and Davahn's engagement party. We are waiting on her 90 day fiance' Visa to be approved by our US Embassy. I arrange silk flowers also in my spare time. I cannot wait to start on their wedding flowers.
I am very interested in repurposing items. I would like to see each Auxiliary repurpose at least one item in their posts this year. At State Convention, our Auxiliary entered our Eagle of Remembrance in the Poppy Category 3 Competition. The eagle was made primarily of all repurposed items. We purchased the new poppies, dowels, clay nose and styrofoam. Otherwise everything was made from items that Rhonda, Crystal or I had in our collections of craft items.
I cannot wait to see and hear how the VFW and the VFW Auxiliary do at National Convention! I hope to be able to go next year. I will be with my three children and two grandchildren during that time at our lake home.
Local Auxiliaries - I would like you to please send me a quick note of what you are doing at this current time. I would like to follow each auxiliary as you post your pictures from your events.
Let's make this an amazing year! Teamwork is how we achieve all our goals.
Please stay safe this summer. Always remember to protect yourself from ticks and mosquitos if you are outside enjoying our beautiful South Dakota landscapes.
Take care,
Dani Bolte
Historian/Media Relations Chairman
6057591993
6308 S Mogen Avenue
Sioux Falls, SD 57108