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CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. — A Citrus County woman started a group for other female veterans like herself. She also spearheaded an effort to get a monument for female vets built and placed in front of the historic county courthouse in Inverness.
Cynthia Henderson served in the U.S. Air Force in the 1960s and is very proud of her service. She believed that there needed to be a local organization that was just for local female veterans. So, she started the Female Veterans Network of Citrus County.
“Well, the camaraderie number one. We all get together for lunch once a month,” said Henderson.
Group members talk about issues they face as veterans, while supporting each other through the struggles and helping the community.
“We do various things for the community. We had a female veteran, and we replaced her roof,” said Henderson.
They also offer a scholarship program for female high school senior JROTC members.
The members of the group all take pride in their military service. “It’s a sisterhood. Even the sisterhood that we felt in the branch that we were in,” said Sigmond. “This is a bigger sisterhood because this is all the branches.”
The network also spent several years planning the design and raising funds for the female veterans’ monument. They recently held a five-year rededication ceremony for the monument.
Henderson said she makes sure to keep up with group members to make sure they are OK. “Well, it’s deep-rooted in the service we served in, even though we were in different branches. We were still serving in the same country,” said Henderson. “Every time I see the girls I find out something new about one or two of them.”
“She has that compassion and always has that smile. And she loves us. We know she does,” said Sigmond.
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Rick Elmhorst
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