SUNFLOWERETTE

Greetings American Legion Family!

 2026 is off and going, with some cold weather! I personally love winter! Nothing like taking a walk in the brisk air or throwing snowballs at my kids!  I have a special place in my heart for snowball fights, forts and building snowmen! I know a lot of others don’t share my affinity for winter weather, but I hope you share my commitment to keeping our organization moving forward and growing stronger!! Use these cold days to reach out to your members. Don’t just reach out to them when you want their dues. Remind them that they matter to our organization and keep them up to date on what your unit is doing and how they can help. Explain to them that it doesn’t matter how much they do or what they do to help but that it all counts. The member who bakes goodies several times a year, or who shows up to volunteer your community events or who clips coupons at home or even buys tickets for your fundraiser but never shows up to meetings. All their help is appreciated and if they start to feel valued, they will become more engaged. We have numerous ways to contact them, send a card, note, email, text or a phone call and if you haven’t heard it, it is said that it can take 7 contacts to reach someone and get them involved. One idea is to with Valentines Day coming up, send “we appreciate you” cards to your members. Just don’t stop trying to engage or recruit members or we will stop moving forward. 

*If you are not already receiving the emails from National about the ALA Academy Training Webinars you can email ALAAcademy@ALAforVeterans.org. Pass this information around, even to your members who don’t come to meetings so they can benefit from the variety of webinars they can register for. 

*MEMBERSHIP Review- Remember to check your unit’s membership records! Ensure officers, chairman and ALAMIS USERS are current int their dues. Coming straight from National “ALA MIS Users must be renewed for the 2026 membership year by January 31st in order to retain their ALA MIS access.” Make sure your Unit and District users are paid for 2026 so they don’t lose access.

 *Reminder its Reporting Time- Remember there are Impact Reports and the Program Report Forms, such as Community Service or Junior Activities. Attached is a Reporting Info Sheet. Everybody does so many wonderful things for our veterans, soldiers and communities and this is our time to

REPRESENT for the Dept of Kansas ALA! You’ve already done the work, so share it and you never know who else will get a new idea for an activity or receive an award or recognition from National. 

*Unit Presidents-The National President’s Quarterly Connection E-Newsletter came out January 14. If you didn’t get it check your email in ALAMIS to ensure it is correct. It is another great resource for information. 

*The Last National Mission Training & Junior Meeting is coming up in Atlanta, GA. You can still register for them at https://web.cvent.com/event/a66f4ed3-dd18-451d-b85d-5d995bf371ca/websitePage:2293ccfd-0aae-4979-adda-a7cf78c5d142  

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 Members at all Levels!

Department Member Training Tuesday @ 7 pm, Covering a Variety of Department Forms, On filling them out, Where to Find them, and Who to Send Them To. 

Time: Feb 16, 07:00 PM Central Time (US)

Join Zoom Meeting     https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86010409187?pwd=aW8E7yhKFWEaYhMLgb32YqXBwd6bBS.1

Important Dates

Jan 30-Feb1-Mid Winter Forum at the Fort Dodge Post

Jan 31-AlAMIS Users Dues Must be Current

Jan 31-Unit Deadline for 100% to Reach Goal

Jan 31-Members not renewed since 2023 become former members. 

Feb 7-Mission Training & National Junior Meeting in Atlanta, GA 

Feb 7- District Oratorical Contests Begin.

Feb 14-Valentines Day

Feb 19-22- National President Pam Ray’s Visit

Mar 1- National Scholarships Deadline 

Mar 6-7-Dept Junior Convention

Despite the weather I hope to see as many as who can attend Mid-Winter Forum in Dodge City

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

February – Vice President Article

Birthdays, Wisdom, and the Gift of Growing Older

Each birthday arrives quietly, carrying more than candles and cake. It brings reflection. It brings memories. And most of all, it brings wisdom — the kind you can’t rush, buy, or borrow, only earn through time.

When we are young, birthdays are about counting up. Another year older means another step toward independence, freedom, and possibility. We measure life in milestones: driving, graduating, starting careers, building families. Time feels endless, and the future stretches wide and brightly before us.

As we grow older, birthdays begin to feel different. The excitement softens, replaced by something deeper: gratitude. We no longer count years just to count them — we count them because we know how fragile they are. Each year becomes less about what’s ahead and more about what has been lived, learned, and survived.

With age comes perspective. We learn that not everything needs a reaction. That peace is often better than being right. That the people who stay matter more than the people who leave. We begin to understand that life isn’t about having more, but about needing less — less noise, less hurry, less proving.

This wisdom is reflected in the mission of the American Legion Auxiliary, where years of experience are not just valued — they are vital. Our members carry stories of service, sacrifice, resilience, and compassion. Through decades of dedication, they turn lessons learned into action, strengthening veterans, families, and communities across generations. Each year of life adds depth to the service we give and meaning to the causes we support.

Growing older also teaches us to carry both joy and loss with grace. We celebrate new beginnings while honoring those no longer with us. We learn that wrinkles are not flaws, but evidence of laughter, worry, and love. Every line tells a story of persistence — of showing up again and again, even when life was heavy.

A birthday, then, is not a reminder of age, but of endurance. It is proof that we have made it through another year of challenges and changes, another year of ordinary days that quietly shaped who we are.

So when the candles are lit and wishes are made, may we wish not for time to slow, but for wisdom to deepen. May we continue to grow kinder, softer, stronger — and may we, like the American Legion Auxiliary, continue to turn the gift of years into service for others.

Because growing older is not something to fear — it is a privilege. And every birthday is a celebration not just of age, but of purpose, service, and life still unfolding.

Cindy Ward –

Email:  Cindy.Ward2019@outlook.com –

Phone: (309) 222-7233

January is here and reports are due at the end of the month.  Units please send your report to your District Historians, so they are able to compile and send District reports to me.  I will then compile a Department report.  History is what your Unit and members did in 2025.  I look forward to receiving each District report.

Keep working on your History book.  A little at a time is easier than trying to do it all at the last minute. Unit History Books should be ready by your District Convention.  This is a great way to see what others are doing and getting new ideas.

Sonia Wiley

Dept. of KS Historian