2026 March Sunflowerette

SUNFLOWERETTE

March 2026

PLEASE SCROLL ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM FOR MORE INFORMATION!!

President

Greetings American Legion Family!

For my fellow officers and chairman, we are over halfway thru our elected years! Kind of bittersweet to think of it that way but, we're not at the end yet and we still have a lot of things to do and amazing events coming up!

The past few weeks have been busy traveling, and I believe I was in 6 states starting with Midwinter Forum in Dodge City where the weather wasn't really that bad compared to what it could have been. We had roughly 40 people registered with five new people who attended. AND it was great to see 8 districts represented! We heard updates from the Basement Brigade, various programs and we had 3 wonderful young ladies who attended Cadet Law and spoke about their experiences. We even raised money from the red, white and blue auction that we had. There were some creative basket donations, and I thank everybody who donated an auction item and for those who bid and for those who won an item! More information to come on that.

Next was the last mission training for this year that National put on in Atlanta, Georgia and it was a combination American Legion family event! It was wonderful to see so many of us attend the same training, and we even had two of our honorary department Junior officers with us who attended the junior mission training. They had some great presentations, and my goal is to hopefully get that information loaded up to our website to share. It took a few shots, but we did get a decent one with all of us! ,

Right after that was the Lincoln Pilgrimage event in Springfield Illinois where we honored President Linclon’s birthday. Commander George Honn and I placed a wreath honoring him at his monument and while listening to some interesting speeches about him I learned that Abraham Linclon was part of their National Guard. Fun and educational! The Illinois Legion Family was very hospitable, and we got to hear all 3 of our Leaders Speak. Here is where our Kansas Auxiliary Members got a picture with the prettiest one! Apparently touching Linclon’s nose is good luck, so here is to good luck for the rest of the year!

MEMBERSHIP Review- Remember to check your unit’s membership records! Ensure officers, chairman and ALAMISUSERS are current int their dues. Coming straight from National “ALA MIS Users must be renewed for the 2026 membership year by January 31^st 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. Anyone who has not yet paid they're 2026 dues are now considered delinquent. Therefore they've lost their membership rights and privileges including the right to vote or to hold any type of chairman or officer positions, until they have paid up.

Check your rosters! We want to make sure that everybody who has paid is showing as paid! And don't hold on to membership, that 85% goal is coming up in just a couple weeks so our department can receive the Merit Medallion.

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.

Important Dates

Feb 28-Units have program reports turned into District Chairman

Feb 28-Pixels To Patriots, Fort Dodge

Mar 1- National Scholarships Deadline

Mar 6-7-Dept Junior Convention, Independenc

Mar 8- Daylight Savings

Mar 8- Department Oratorical Contest, Wichita

Mar 14-District 2 Convention, Gardener

Mar 13-15- District 3 Convention Independence

Mar 14- District 4 Convention, Hillsboro

Mar 21- District 5 Convention, McPherson

Mar 26-29- National Commander Dan Wiley's Homecoming

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

March News Article Vice President – Cindy Ward

Honoring the Flag: A Symbol of Service and Community

In communities across the nation, the American flag continues to represent the ideals of freedom, sacrifice, and unity that American Legion Auxiliary members work every day to uphold. More than a symbol, the flag reflects the service of our veterans, the strength of our military families, and the enduring spirit of patriotism that connects generations.

Auxiliary members play a vital role in maintaining respect for the flag. From supporting patriotic observances to assisting with community ceremonies, these acts of service ensure that the meaning behind the stars and stripes remains visible and relevant. Each time the flag is raised, folded, or saluted, it serves as a reminder of the courage and commitment of those who have defended our nation.

Respect in Meetings and Ceremonial Settings

Part of honoring the flag is observing proper etiquette during meetings and official functions. Members are reminded not to cross between the podium or head table and the flag, often referred to as “not crossing the colors.” This simple act shows respect for the position of honor the flag holds and maintains the dignity of the meeting space.

When approaching the front of the room — whether to speak, receive recognition, or participate in the program — members should pause briefly and acknowledge the flag with a respectful salute or hand over heart, depending on protocol and personal preference. These traditions reinforce the Auxiliary’s commitment to patriotism and help set an example for guests and younger generations.

Respectfully Retiring a Flag

Another meaningful way Auxiliary members can continue their mission of patriotism is by helping educate the community about proper flag retirement. When a flag becomes worn, faded, or damaged and is no longer fit for display, it should be disposed of in a dignified manner in accordance with the U.S. Flag Code.

Many American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary units host or participate in flag retirement ceremonies, often in partnership with local scout troops or community organizations. These ceremonies provide an opportunity not only to properly retire unserviceable flags but also to teach younger generations about respect, tradition, and service.

Community members who have flags ready for retirement are encouraged to contact their local American Legion post or Auxiliary unit to learn about upcoming ceremonies or drop-off locations. Providing this service is a simple yet powerful way to extend the Auxiliary’s mission of honoring veterans and strengthening communities.

As members continue their work in support of veterans, active-duty service members, and their families, the flag remains a constant symbol of the values they champion — patriotism, service, and respect. By caring for the flag and sharing its traditions, the American Legion Auxiliary helps ensure that the legacy of service endures for generations to come, during our 250th Anniversary.

Department of Kansas Vice President – Cindy Ward

Email: Cindy.Ward2019@Outlook.com Phone (309) 222-7233

Chaplain

Auxiliary members, can you believe it is almost March already and spring is just around the corner! Summer is my favorite season but reaching spring means I am a little bit closer to those summer vibes!!!

Mid-Winter Forum in Dodge City was very cold but lots of great information was handed out. A HUGE thanks to Marsha Weber for going above and beyond to ensure the Auxiliary had a warm and comfortable place to meet. The trivia on Saturday evening after dinner was so much fun!

If you have not attended a Mission training before you should plan to attend. I got to go to my very first training last weekend and I learned so much! I came home excited to share all of the new information about programs and grant funds with my local unit!

The Department calendar is updated and all the district conventions have been posted. March and April are going to be very busy across Kansas. I hope everyone has been working on their prayer books for district conventions! Please don’t forget about National Commander Wiley’s Kansas Homecoming happening the last weekend in March. The flyer is posted on the Kansas ALA webpage for RSVP and activity information.

THANK YOU DISTRICT 8 FOR YOUR INFORMATION FOR THE PRAYER BOOK! Reminder to all other districts, please send me something inspirational from you district to include in the Department Prayer Book. You can email it to me or send it to me via regular mail, my contact information is listed below.

I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the district conventions over the next 2 months and at the Department Convention at the end of May. Thank you for all your hard work and participation in the American Legion Auxiliary!

Laurie Kerns

lauriedkerns@gmail.comn

703 Cherokee Street

Humboldt, KS 66748

(620) 228-4277

Historian

National Historian Hillary Ott is introducing a Picture Book Contest this year. Each Department may enter a Picture Book as well as a History Book. To do this, I will need your help. Please email picturesto me on what your District and Unit are doing, include Unit number, District number, and a caption for each picture telling about the pictured event. swiley160@gmail.com

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.

Link to National Webpage Historian Resources

Sonia Wiley

Dept. of KS Historian

History Flashback

Auxiliary highlights for years 1930-1970 from the American Legion Auxiliary History: Volume VIII

“1934 - The first year the Auxiliary had two membership classes – Senior and Junior. 1937 – The ALA establishes the ALA Girls State program to teach high school students about U.S. government and citizenship.

1937 - The resolution to support youth betterment activities including American Legion Boys State and ALA Girls States was passed. In the ALA, this activity came under the eye of the Americanism Committee. It was not a separate program.

1941 - After Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, America declares war on the country. The ALA creates the Emergency Voluntary Committee to support the war effort. They also donate six mobile blood units to the Red Cross.

1944 – The national president’s project: purchase of training cars with dual controls to be placed in U.S. Navy Amputation Centers; donations for research into ways of improving artificial devices; and setting up Battle Fatigue Stations at permanent hospitals (recovering servicemen and veterans could grow plants and flowers).

1947 - The first assembly of ALA Girls Nation is held in Washington, D.C. Annually, two young women from each ALA Girls State program gather to elect an ALA Girls Nation president, meet government officials, and visit the White House. Eighty-two girls from 41 states attended ALA Girls Nation, held Aug. 9-14.

1955 - ALA membership continues to grow, reaching more than 998,000.

If you are a Department Officer or Chairman and would like to submit something for the Sunflowerette,

Please send it to me by the end of the 20th of each month.

Thank you so much!

Kristy Ehart- Newsletter Chairman

📧 klehart07@gmail.com

2025-2026 Membership

Click on Flyer to download

Hello Dept of Kansas,

Greetings to all as we look forward to spring. I've had a few inquiries regarding a required "report" from Districts on membership activity. In prior years, we used to have a much more "formal" membership report to be completed. Since that time, the Dept. of Kansas has moved more towards urging members, units, districts to complete the "Year End Impact Reports" that can be found on the national website here -->Impact Report and a narrative report highlighting our membership activities.

Following, I urge each District to shoot over a "narrative" report highlighting your membership activities. It doesn't have to be long and formal, email will do ...by March 5, 2026! Some things to include:

Activities urged to promote membership
Special projects that centered around a membership component
What worked well...and what didn't
Suggestions to help grow Kansas membership
Did you visit the ALA and Kansas websites to gather ideas on how to grow membership
Just tell us what you are doing and how you approached membership goals and communicated about our initiatives - Brag about your good work!
Did you receive the Kirby booklet and use it? Please let us know outcomes and if it helped you drive membership excellence

Thank you in advance for your input and I appreciate any communication that you would like to share. Kirby, our Kansas mascot, continues to rally the flock in an effort to drive membership excellence.

An important deadline is looming...the 85% membership benchmark by March 15. It's a simple ask at this point. As of today, we need 720 members to hit that benchmark. But here's the ask. If each District could just bring in 66 members by March 15...we would hit that goal. So... focus on small bites and to each district...go find the 66 we need to make 85% happen...and to those overachievers...we value and appreciate you.

Please feel free to contact me with questions or concerns, and to the District Membership Chairs... feel free to respond to this email (just me, not "reply all") with your narrative report by March 5, 2026.

Thank you and together let's make 85% happen!

Trish Ward

American Legion Auxiliary

Department of Kansas

Membership Chair, 2025-2026