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A long, long life of service to be honored
Newburg woman, 101, helped found VFW auxiliary
Friday, Nov. 6, 2009
 Click here to enlarge this photo Staff photos by EMILY BARNES
Mary E. Michael, 101, of Newburg will be honored on Veterans Day for her work with the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10081 Ladies Auxiliary.
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The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10081 in Bel Alton on Wednesday will take a break from reaching out to the community to honor the woman who started the group's ladies auxiliary 37 years ago.
The auxiliary began with Mary E. Michael of Newburg and nine friends in 1972, when they began collecting cakes and donations from women in the area.
Today, at 101, Michael said she is no longer able to help the auxiliary but when it began she collected cakes, sold them in La Plata and gave the money to the auxiliary to help support soldiers.
"I never took a penny," she said of all the money raised for the auxiliary. Michael said she would never take money to reimburse herself for gas or anything else. Everything she collected, she said, went straight to the auxiliary.
"I'm happy it's still around," Michael said of the auxiliary, in an interview at her home.
Current auxiliary President Eileen Valentine said when Michael was selected to be recognized on Veterans Day for her contributions, she called Michael to ask if there was anything the post could do for her. Valentine said Michael only wanted a 35-year service pin.
Michael will receive her pin Wednesday at a ceremony at the post on U.S. 301 in Bel Alton.
She plans to put it on a ribbon with all her other auxiliary pins.
Michael has been inactive from the auxiliary for two or three years now, as she is no longer able to get around as much. After all, "I am 101," she reminded a reporter.
She did recall the purpose of the auxiliary she started and the purpose it still serves today.
"[The auxiliary] tries to do a lot of good for the poor soldiers overseas," she said.
Valentine said in addition to supporting soldiers, the auxiliary does a lot with local and state VFW posts to support the community and those in need.
Michael said she began the auxiliary because she had a lot of family members in the military and knew that soldiers needed assistance.
Michael's husband, Jerome L. Michael Sr., served in World War I. Her grandfather served in the Spanish-American War and she has had several other relatives in various branches of the military including some grandchildren who served in Iraq.
Looking back on the days of collecting and selling cakes, Michael said two area doctors especially enjoyed chocolate cake so she made sure each week to set two aside for them.
Michael remembers selling lemon cakes, chocolate cakes, apple pies and brownies.
Now, fundraisers at the auxiliary and the VFW include dinners and card parties among other events that are open to the public.
Valentine said the auxiliary still has bake sales.
Michael said she is "very much surprised after all these years" to be honored by the group.
She hopes people at the post are ready to "expect me to not be the way I used to be."
While Michael is still alert and eager to hold conversations, she is not as physically capable as she once was.
Michael will be accompanied by her son, Jerome Jr. and her granddaughter on Wednesday.
Those in attendance will likely hear many stories from Michael's long life, including starting Charles County's first pasteurized dairy in the 1940s.
"I've had my day," she said.
"I'm telling you."
If you go
The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10081 in Bel Alton will hold a Veterans Day memorial service and open house at 11 a.m. Nov. 11 at the post at 9370 N. Crain Highway, Bel Alton. Newburg resident Mary E. Michael and others will be honored at the event. Refreshments will be served. Call 301-934-8271 for more information.
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