2025 December Sunflowerette

SUNFLOWERETTE

DECEMBER 2025

President

Greetings American Legion Family!

The cold weather is upon us! Nothing like a good cup of coffee or tea to warm up from the inside. Luckily the weekend weather was warmer and didn’t spoil the fun we had at the Big Red One Turkey Run, where 221 active-duty families were provided fixings for their Thanksgiving dinners. Our Central Division VP Ann Buchanan and her husband Fred, a Legionnaire, even got in on the action! It was a very fulfilling day to visit with and assist the families in picking up their meals. Big shout-out to Junction City and Manhattan who were very welcoming and did a great job hosting while our National Guest Ann was here!

Please share the information!

Ø EMAILS According to the Department C & B, units should have 2 emails per unit, and we are still finding units that don’t have at least one email or haven’t supplied it to their District or the Department office. It doesn’t have to be your unit president that has the email it can be a reliable member within your unit. Please supply this email to ensure timely delivery of information.

Ø OFFICERS AND CHAIRMEN At all Levels Don’t let your 2026 dues become Delinquent! Members in these positions can’t hold them in 2026 if you are not a member in good standing.

Ø MEMBERSHIP Review your unit’s membership to ensure accuracy of who has paid and for what years. Reach out to your District Membership and Department Membership Chair Trish Ward and myself if you need any help! Contact us if you have any unresolved membership issues so we can get them fixed before the end of the year.

Ø ALAMIS This program can’t be beat to track your unit’s membership; if your unit doesn’t have it already, I strongly recommend getting it! Even if it’s the unit view access that is $10 a year per user, it is well worth it. The ALAMIS user form with payment is due for the year 2026. Please send that in as soon as you can. Regardless of whether your users are changing, we need a new form filled out and your payment sent to the department office.

Ø Volunteer Hours Time to start collecting all those volunteer hours, dollars and miles from our members who work so tirelessly in promoting and working our programs.

In the spirit of LEADERS- Listen Encourage And Develop Everyone Regularly Selflessly our Power Hour Zoom Call is coming up. Everyone is strongly encouraged to attend! If you have any questions, comments and concerns ahead of time please send to anndimb@yahoo.com This is for ALL Members!!

Department Zoom Meeting December 2 @ 7 pm

Invite link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83694847865?pwd=AbXERTnNmpbb7HjaI7AZD6OVxUaDTG.1

Meeting ID: 836 9484 7865 Passcode: 370869

Upcoming Events

o December 1 Be the One Day

o December 2 #Giving Tuesday

o December 2 Member Zoom Call, 7 pm

o December 1-2 Colmery-Oneill, Topeka Gift Shop

o December 1-3 Kansas Veterans Home, Winfield Gift Shop

o December 6 Operation North Pole, Fort Riley

o December 6-7 Fort Dodge Gift Shop

o December 10-12 Robert Dole, Wichita Gift Shop

o December 13 Wreaths Across America

o December 13 Department Christmas Party, Hutchinson

o December 25-26 Department Office Closed

o December 30 Membership Dues Need to be Paid to not be Delinquent

o December 30 ALAMIS User Annual Fees and Form Need to be sent to Dept for 2026

Stay tuned for details for Mid-Winter Forum coming at the end of January. There is a flyer for Operation North Pole, with it being so soon, please don’t delay if anyone wants to donate or needs a pick-up of donations. If you want to volunteer, no one will turn you away!

Please reach out and if you call and I don’t answer, leave a voicemail and I will get back to you.

Warmly, and as always For God and Country, President Anndi Bownes

anndimb@yahoo.com~620-228-4884

Vice President

Vice President of Kansas –

December 2025 Article

Members of our American Legion Auxiliary across Kansas will proudly participate in the national Wreaths Across America Day on Saturday, December 13, joining thousands of volunteers nationwide in honoring and remembering America’s fallen heroes.

Held annually in December, Wreaths Across America is a nationwide tribute dedicated to ensuring that no veteran is forgotten during the holiday season. Volunteers gather at cemeteries across the United States to place wreaths on veterans' graves while speaking each hero’s name aloud — a symbolic act that keeps their legacy alive.

This year, Auxiliary members, Legion family volunteers, community supporters, and local youth groups gathered locally for a ceremony that included the Pledge of Allegiance, remarks from local veterans and community leaders, and a solemn moment of silence. Following the ceremony, volunteers placed wreaths and reflected on the sacrifices of those who served.

“It is an honor to pause in remembrance of the brave men and women who selflessly answered the call to serve our country.” “Each wreath represents a story, a life, and a legacy we must never forget.”

Nationwide, millions of wreaths are placed at more than 4,000 participating locations, including Arlington National Cemetery, where the tradition began. The program’s mission is clear: Remember. Honor. Teach.

Remember our fallen veterans
Honor those who serve
Teach the next generation the value of freedom

The American Legion Auxiliary – Department of Kansas extends gratitude to all volunteers, sponsors, and community members who helped support this meaningful event. Donations and sponsorships ensure wreaths can be placed year after year.

To Support or Learn More

For details on future events or to sponsor a wreath for 2026, visit Wreaths Across America(https://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/) or contact your local American Legion Auxiliary Unit.

Cindy Ward – Department of Kansas Vice President

Email: Cindy.Ward2029@outlook.com Phone: (309) 222-7233

Chaplain

Here it is, December again, the holiday season again. For most people this is the most magical time of the year. People look forward to spending time with families and friends, enjoying great food, and fabulous company. Lots of people find the greatest joy in decorating their homes with trees, blinking lights, gifts, and mistletoe. Some even start the decorating well before Thanksgiving; you all know “those people”, LOL! I have one of those people, my daughter decorates early every year, and her house always looks beautiful!! Some of us struggle with the holidays. While we really want to enjoy the holidays like everyone else; there is something getting in the way. Sometimes it is the missing loved one, the miles separating us from our loved ones, the anxiety and stress brought on by the large parties crowded with people, or the financial inability to create the perfect holiday for loved ones. We never know who is truly loving the holidays and who is silently struggling to just get through the next day, next event, or next party. I pray each of us has grace with every encounter we have during this holiday season and always. Below is a definition of grace along with an acronym I found that gives a great description.

Grace: Defined as the act of being courteous or kind.

G is for generosity, the will to do something more for others.
R is respect, the dignity of life and work.
A is action, the mechanism for change.
C is compassion, the concern for others.
E is energy, the spirit that catalyzes us.

Reminder: Operation North Pole at Fort Riley is scheduled for Saturday December 6 and the Department Christmas Luncheon is Saturday December 13 in Hutchinson. Be sure to keep visiting those members in the nursing home, assisted living facilities, and just struggle with getting out of the house to come to the unit meetings and events.

As always, if you would like for me to visit your district or unit event, please reach out via email or phone. I am always available to answer any questions you have!

Laurie Kerns

lauriedkerns@gmail.com

(620) 228 - 4277

Historian

Fall is upon us. The leaves are changing and the temperatures are dropping. This is the time of year we look back and think about what we are thankful for. I am thankful for all the ALA members and the work they do to support veterans, military, families and communities across Kansas and the Nation.

Remember to take pictures to document and share what your Unit is doing to further the ALA mission. This will help with your end of year report and can be submitted with your report. Sometimes your photos make it to the screen at the National Convention.

Historians start working on the narrative for your History Book. I try to add to the Department Narrative each month so things are fresh in one's mind.

I look forward to getting your end of year report.

Sonia Wiley

Dept. of KS Historian

History Flashback

Formation of the American Legion

Representatives from 20 segments of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) were asked to meet to discuss the decline of morale. The 20 officers, national guardsmen and reserve were ordered to Paris on February 15, 1919 to meet with some regulars, military intelligence officers and others to consider how to improve morale. The next day Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. invited the group to dinner where he presented a proposal that they undertake the creation of an association of American veterans of the World War. They started a program that would become The American Legion. That dinner meeting laid the groundwork for the organization. They agreed there should be at least 2 organization meetings, one in France for the AEF and one in the U.S. for the forces that had not gone overseas. Theodore Roosevelt Jr. was selected to organize the caucus in the states. George White, Ralph Cole and Eric Wood organized the Paris caucus on March 15. Roosevelt organized a caucus for May 8 in St. Louis. A general assembly was set for Nov. 11 at 11 o’clock.

Jones, R., A History of the American Legion, The Bobbs-Merrill Company 1946

FROM NATIONAL AMERICAN LEGION AUXILIARY

Want to serve on a national ALA committee? The application process for 2026-2027 national committee appointments is open through Jan. 1, 2026! National committee chairs and members are appointed annually and confirmed by the National Executive Committee to serve on a wide variety of ALA committees for you to explore. All members are eligible to apply. Learn more by reading the ALA blog:https://www.legion-aux.org/Blog/Apply-today!-2026-2027-ALA-national-committee-appl

ALA members are invited to attend an informative national webinar on December 3, 2025, from 12:30-1:30 EST, which will review the adopted changes to the National Constitution, Bylaws, and Standing Rules. National will walk through what was approved at the National Convention, discuss how these updates impact departments and units, and offer guidance on the adjustments you may need to make to your own governing documents.

The registration link for the webinar: https://cvent.me/974YmA

Constitution, Bylaws, Standing Rules and Policies

Constitution and Bylaws Committee

The C & B Committee has put together a sample governing document based on the sample in National’s Unit Handbook and the Department of KS C & B.. If your documents are very old, missing or not digital you may copy the document then fill in the blanks. Read through and make adjustments based on your unit. The Unit will need to adopt all updates or changes with a ⅔ vote for the Constitution and Bylaws and a majority vote for the Standing Rules. There are items in gray to give direction that can be delegated when that section meets your Unit’s needs.

When you click on the link it will ask/require you to make a copy.

Constitution, Bylaws and Standing Rules Sample link

When your Unit has adopted updated governing documents, we ask if you would please email me a copy at s.wiley160@gmail.com . The committee plans on creating a file of digital copies.

Attached you will find the chart that we have so far.

Units please check the date your Constitution and Bylaws was updated. Anything before 2019 will need to be reviewed and updated. That is when the word wife changed to spouse.

Updated Dept C&B and C &B on file by District - 10-15-25 Click Flyer below to download

2025-2026 Membership

Click on Flyer to download

Legislation Click on Flyer to download

National Security

Hello District Presidents and District Chairs for National Security,

Part of effective mentoring is the open sharing of information. In conversations with some units, I’ve learned that not everyone is receiving updates from their district presidents or chairs regarding projects and information from department chairs.

As Marsha Webber and I continue developing manuals for district presidents, chairs, and units, I’d like to ask for your help in ensuring information flows smoothly. Please make it a priority to share program updates and materials you receive from chairs and department officers with your units.

By keeping communication open, we strengthen our organization and better serve our shared mission—to honor our veterans, active military members, and their families. Let’s continue to work together to support one another and help all our members grow in knowledge and service.

Attached you will find the Monthly National Security Newsletter from National. Kansas is still working on the project to gather funds for 120 soldiers currently serving overseas. Your help is needed to show some love from the US to these soldiers. They have reached out to us; part of our mission is to support them. Again, share with your units! So far, we have had $150.00 donated to the project. We have adopted for Nov, Dec, and Jan. If you have questions about the project let me know.

Thank you for everything that you do for the ALA!

Tracy

Click the flyer below for more info

ANNOUNCEMENTS

click on flyers to print out

Mid-Winter Forum January 30, 2026 to February 1, 2026

The list of area hotels is attached to this email. As a heads up, the area hotels will be quite full on these dates, as there is a major event going on in Dodge City in addition to the Mid-Winter Forum!