Minna D. Levine spent
her life helping veterans ever since her husband served in World War I.She gave 20,000 hours at the V.A. hospitals in all kinds of weather
(parties, programs and helping vets with their personal needs).
I attended the convention in New Jersey to watch her win her
election as
National President of the Jewish War Veterans Womans Auxiliary in 1949, and it
was a thrill I'll never forget. "Minnesota votes for Minna Levine",
New York votes for Minna Levine" it rang throughout the room until every state was
named.
My Auntie Minna won and served her term from 1950 through 1954, ensuring the needs of the
veterans got heard from state figures right on up to the President of the United States.
She gave her time unselfishly, went to work and never stopped.
Later on she founded
"The Amputee Veterans Of America", and also served on the board of directors for
the Veterans Administration Medical Center in West Roxbury, Massachusetts. Another of my
aunt's greatest
achievements "for her boys" was when she realized that the amputees needed
privacy at the beach.
Minna went to the governor of Massachusetts at the time and got land on Lake Cochituate in
Natick Massachusetts, raised enough money to build a recreation hall, and created a
private camp for the
amputees to swim; free from the stares of beachgoers that made them feel completely at
ease.
This group has forged life-long personal friendships with her and Harry (her husband), as
did the Chaplains.
Her last honor - The Legion of Honor Award in memory of four
Chaplains who died on the
South Dorchester in World War II, she was 90 years old and still going strong. So much my
Auntie Minna did, it would take a book to fill, but I will say that when she was 93 years
old,
she raised money for an ambulance to shuttle to and fro the veteran's destinations.
I am thrilled to hear about "In Memory of
Minna D. Levine" that her granddaughter
Pamela Davis is doing. Now her legacy will continue and help bring musical instruments to
the
VA hospitals.