A luncheon for 18 women veterans was held Friday, Aug. 27, at the Wisconsin Veterans Home (WVH) in King.
Sponsored by United Women Veterans (UWV), the annual luncheon has been a tradition for more than 20 years in King.
“It’s one time a year I really look forward to where we all get together,” said Jackie King, a WVH resident who has been coming to the luncheon for the past five years. “We have a special camaraderie in knowing we all served our country.”
UWV is a nonprofit organization founded in 1986. The group’s purpose is to increase public awareness of the contributions and sacrifices made by America’s women veterans. It also provides education to women veterans, especially in regard to their veterans benefits, and it works for equality in veterans benefits and service delivery for women veterans.
Bernadine Verona, a longtime resident in King, played a role in starting the group’s state charter and has been coming to the annual luncheon for over 20 years.
“I worked with the governor’s office to get this going, it means a lot to the women who are here,” Verona said.
Honorably discharged women veterans with war or peacetime service from any branch of the military, as well as active duty, guard or reserves are eligible for membership. UWV holds 11 meetings annually: nine meetings are held in Madison, with one meeting at each of the state veterans homes in King and Union Grove.
For more information, contact Vera Roddy, UWV president, at 414-443-6453 or [email protected].