Merrill High School student Emily Wegner won 5th place in the Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest, winning a $500 college scholarship. The contest, sponsored annually by the Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) recognizes up-and-coming artists and encourages patriotism in youth. A total of $21,000 in scholarships was awarded to eight high school students in 2014.
Wegner was sponsored by Ladies Auxiliary 1638, Merrill. Her ebony pencil art piece titled “Lover in War” is inspired by a poem she wrote by the same title.
Lover in War
She is a protector
A guardian angel
She is a keeper
One who defends
She is a fighter
A soldier in hostile war
She is fierce
She is kind
She is strong
And she is gentle
But above all,
She is a lover
One the children call mother
To reach the state competition, Emily won first place for the Department of Wisconsin Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, with a $1,000 prize. At the local level, Emily took first place in the judged competition, winning $100. She also won the Post 1638 Post Choice award, winning $50.
A total of 47 entries were judged in the national competition.
This scholarship contest is just one of the many ways in which the 450,000-member VFW Auxiliary organization helps the communities of America. In addition to scholarship programs, members volunteer millions of hours and give thousands of dollars to supporting veterans, military service personnel and their families. They demonstrate their commitment to active-duty troops by sending care packages to soldiers far from home, holding send-off and welcome-home events for the troops and spreading the word about PTSD. Among other ways, members support veterans by volunteering at VA Medical Centers, nursing homes and hospitals. They also fund cancer research, offer youth scholarships, and serve their communities in countless other ways. Learn more at www.ladiesauxvfw.org.