| An Auxiliary member is the surviving spouse of a deceased officer from any of the following United States services:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, Public Health Service, National Guard, Reserve
The deceased officer need not have been a member of MOAA, but only eligible to have been a member. The surviving spouse may join even if the deceased spouse was not a member.
The chapter helps auxiliary members stay up to date on benefits, along with still "belonging to the military." An auxiliary member who is under the age of 65 and enrolled in Tricare may purchase supplemental health insurance at a very reasonable cost through MOAA's Mediplus insurance plan. There are also cash-back credit cards and discounts for other services, such as will writing, travel, cruises, and financial planning.
Auxiliary members must maintain membership in the Military Officers Association of America, Inc., Alexandria, VA. If the deceased spouse was a Life member of MOAA national that membership transfers to the surviving spouse and the auxiliary member is not required to pay any more dues at the national level.
Auxiliary Chapter Membership Dues: $9.00 per year or $25.00 for three years
Spokane Chapter Auxiliary Liaison to the National Auxiliary
Beth Ann Daigre
509-921-9581 home 509-220-6508 cell
bethanndaigre@comcast.net
March 2nd, 2010 the Widows and Wives Club met for lunch at Vintages on the South Hill. The food was so delicious and we just enjoyed being together, laughing and talking. One of the ladies who is newer to the Spokane area has said she is learning her way around and getting to know other women in the MOAA Chapter, even though she was not a wife during the active duties years, she was an officer's wife during his retirement years. There are a few of us who were those wives and never got to travel around the world with our husbands, but many of us took care of the man we loved when he was ill or injured and that counts a lot. It doesn't make us love our country or the military any less.

The Widows and Wives Club is now at 30 members and the membership is about 50% Wives and 50% Widows. Want to join us? Next luncheon is April 6, 2010 at 1 PM at Chaps Coffee Company, 4237 S. Cheney-Spokane Road. To reserve your seat at the table please call Diane Gorton 467-6138. We are excited to go to Chaps, it has gotten lots of rave reviews. One of our faithful members drives from Newport (1.5 hours) to break bread with us. So those of you in Idaho, please know we wish you could also make the drive to join in our socializing.
Also, we are now each bringing a few items for the food bank. Shirley Melges collects the items we bring and takes them to the food bank for us. We are receiving retirement pay, SBP, SS, etcetera and there are many here in our region who have no income at all. This is just one small thing we can do for the less fortunate.
January 5, 2010 The Wives and Widows met for lunch at the Max Restaurant at the Mirabeau Park Hotel in the Spokane Valley. Two more ladies joined and we are hoping they will continue to gather with us for lots of laughter and good companionship. About half of us continued on to the Spokane Valley Heritage Museum, which was very interesting. Both places are worth return trips.

December 1, 2009 we met in the beautiful Peacock Room of the Davenport Hotel in Spokane. Along with making new friends we wrote notes in Christmas cards for our American Heroes serving in harm’s way. The cards will be sent with the goodies collected at the general membership meeting Sunday December 6th. Attendance gets better each time we meet. We had 19 members and 5 guests. Twenty four is the largest turn out in our first full year.

On Tuesday, November 3, 2009 the Widows and Wives Club had a wonderful lunch at Twigs north with lots of talking and laughing. Then some of the ladies headed to Wonderland Family Fun Center for miniature golf. Elaine Anderson had the best score and took home the prize, a MOAA Travel notebook.
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Shirley Melges setting up from the tee off spot |
Elaine Anderson had to putt with her foot |
Diane Gorton having to putt backwards |
Auxiliary membership is the way we have of keeping the surviving spouses in the military family. They pay dues to National MOAA and they pay dues to the Chapter because the regular MOAA member is deceased. BUT the auxiliary in our chapter is made up of the spouses and the surviving spouses.
The luncheons have been set for the first Tuesday of every month starting in January 2010. They will start at 1:00PM to miss the business lunch rush and last until 3:00 PM to get us back on the road before the 3:30 rush hour traffic starts.
The Widows & Wives Club is open to all Auxiliary Members and Regular Member Spouses. For 2009 we asked a $5 annual donation to our club fund. The donations/dues for 2010 is $10.00
Luncheons: |
We order off the menu. Each attendee is responsible for their check/tab. We plan activities for after the meal. |
January 5th |
MAX Restaurant at the Mirabeau Park Hotel, 1100 North Sullivan Road, Spokane Valley
Spokane Valley Heritage Museum, 12114 East Sprague Avenue, Spokane Valley |
| February 2nd |
Clinkerdagger Restaurant, 621 West Mallon, Spokane (in the old Flour Mill)
Flour Mill shops |
March 2nd
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Vintages, 611 East 30th Avenue, Spokane
TBD
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| April 6th |
Chaps Coffee Company & Good Eats, 4237 S. Cheney-Spokane Road, Spokane
Nearby boutiques |
May 4th |
Taste & See
1421 West 9th Avenue, Spokane
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| June 1st |
Arbor Crest Wine Cellars Cliff House
4705 N. Fruit Hill Road, Spokane |
July 6th |
Dockside Restaurant, Coeur d’Alene Resort, 112 South 2nd Street, Coeur d’Alene ID
Shops and antique stores and art galleries |
| August 3rd |
Harvest House, 9919 E. Greenbluff Road, Colbert
Touring property or community |
September 7th |
Steam Plant Grill, 159 South Lincoln, Spokane
Tour Steam Plant |
| October 5th |
Maggie’s South Hill Grill, 2808 East 29th Avenue, Spokane
St. John’s Cathedral, 127 East 12th Avenue, Spokane |
November 2nd |
Christ Kitchen, 2410 North Monroe Street, Spokane
Christ Clinic, 914 West Carlisle Avenue, Spokane |
December 7th |
PF Chang’s China Bistro, 801 West Main, Spokane
Campbell House, 2320 West 1st Avenue, Spokane |
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