New Lenox resident Ceil Barclay was the recent recipient of the VFW National Outstanding Legislative Chairman Award.
Barclay, 62, received the award for her work as the VFW Auxiliary’s department legislative chairman in Illinois for the last five years.
Cara Day, director of programs and communications for the national VFW Auxiliary, said that the VFW and the VFW Auxiliary “fight tirelessly to make sure those rights (of the veterans) are protected.”
She said people like Barclay are “one of the main conduits between (the national VFW) and the local member to keep the right issues in front of the public to understand the legislative process and how to become a part of it.”
“Every member who takes on a volunteer position in this organization does it with an incredible passion — not for the topic, but for the veterans behind the topic,” Day said.
Barclay’s passion to help America’s military veterans began more than 40 years ago when as a college student pursuing a degree in psychology, she participated in group counseling of Vietnam veterans who were returning from active duty.
Barclay said she was then — and is now — awed by the intense patriotism she has seen in the veterans she has met.
“Every single veteran that I’ve spoken to since 1973 has said, ‘If I had to do it over again, I would (do it) to keep our country safe,'” Barclay said.
Barclay said one of her continuing goals as department legislative chair — as well as a personal goal — is to encourage everyone to let veterans know they are appreciated.
“When you see a veteran, smile at them and simply say, ‘Thank you for your service,'” Barclay said. “And please wait for the soldier or sailor’s response and watch how grateful they are for taking the time in remembering them.”
Barclay knows that any appreciation shown must go beyond words. The national VFW’s priority goals address many areas of concern for veterans through actions, particularly when it comes to legislation.
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“We’re going to make sure that Congress is never going to forget our veterans,” Barclay said.
Barclay, whose role as department legislative chairman is to oversee 178 VFW auxiliaries with more than 20,000 members in Illinois, said they are currently working with elected officials to get the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2015 to a vote in the U.S. Congress. If passed, the bill would allow Vietnam Navy veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange to receive disability and health care benefits for diseases linked to exposure to the toxin.
Some other projects, Barclay said, have been “so much fun … and easy to do,” such as promoting Wal-Mart’s “Greenlight a Vet” campaign.
Barclay said the program, which encouraged people to replace one light bulb at their home or workplace with a green bulb to show support for military veterans, was a major project for 2015. All of the auxiliaries on her watch participated, she said.
Last year was a busy one for the Illinois VFW auxiliaries. Barclay said 1,650 projects and more than 5,000 contacts — made in person, via email or social media, or by phone, text or letter — were completed throughout the 18 districts in Illinois. Projects included “care packages” to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, working with organizations and municipalities in support of veterans, offering educational opportunities and encouraging the employment of veterans.
Working for the veterans has been a lifetime labor of love for Barclay — and a family affair.
Barclay and her husband, Paul Barclay, have been members of the Harry E. Anderson VFW Post 9545 Post in New Lenox for 30 years.
Paul Barclay, a former U.S. Navy Vietnam veteran, is the current and three-term commander of Post 9545 and is retired from a 30-year career as a police officer with the Cook County Sheriff’s Department.
Their commitment to veterans often includes plans to spend time with them that is not part of their volunteer job descriptions, but very meaningful to the couple. On their 40th wedding anniversary Oct. 16, the Barclays plan to spend Bingo night with the veterans at the Manteno Veterans’ Home.
“We thought, what a beautiful way to spend our 40th wedding anniversary,” Barclay said.
Ginger Brashinger is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.