A Community of Volunteers Serving Veterans, Military, and their Families |
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Today, Nov. 10, the American Legion Auxiliary celebrates 102 years of service! We thank our members, volunteers, and donors for all they have done to allow our organization to serve veterans, military, and their families for more than a century. Because of your commitment, the ALA will continue to serve into the future. |
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Tomorrow, Nov. 11, is Veterans Day. We thank those who served our country, past and present. Thank you for your service, sacrifices, and for protecting our freedom. You are our heroes.
Free Veterans Day film screening
You’re invited to a free, nationwide screening of Modern Warrior LIVE, a story of one veteran's experience. Staff Sgt. Jaymes Poling spent three years in Afghanistan as an infantryman with the 82nd Airborne Division. In this production, Jaymes shares the story of his experience fighting across three deployments and his subsequent transition back home. The virtual screening will be available Nov. 11-14. Register now to watch for free.
Veterans Day deals
Many restaurants and retailers will be offering discounts for veterans tomorrow. Find the deals in this list compiled by The American Legion.
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Help us make a difference |
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#GivingTuesday is right around the corner — Nov. 30. This year, show your gratitude for the Faces Behind the Funds — the heroes who serve our country bravely, and their loved ones who lift them up — by making a gift to the ALA Foundation. 100% of your gift, no matter the size, will go directly to support the mission of the American Legion Auxiliary. Countless veterans, military, and their families need your help. Answer the call today.
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In-person Mission Training is back |
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Five ALA Mission Trainings and national Junior meetings are planned for 2022. They will be held at the same time and locations throughout the winter and spring.
Mission Development Training 201 will help members overcome common hurdles in mission delivery. The underlying belief in this training is that improving the member engagement experience will also drive membership.
During this one-day training, learn how to:
- Identify and engage volunteers – members and non-members
- Determine the needs in your community
- Solve roadblocks
- Construct specific volunteer menu opportunities in your community
WHO SHOULD ATTEND MISSION DEVELOPMENT TRAINING 201?
Active members looking to welcome and engage other ALA members and supporters in our mission. Attendees should have a basic concept of mission delivery.
DATES AND LOCATIONS:
Las Vegas, NV - Jan. 29
Orlando, FL - Feb. 12
Indianapolis, IN - Feb. 19
Baltimore, MD - Mar. 26
Omaha, NE - Apr. 2
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Watch recorded versions of ALA Academy Live webinars |
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Were you unable to attend an ALA Academy Live webinar, or do you want to watch it again? Do you have other members in your unit who would benefit from taking a course?
Our webinars are recorded and can be viewed in the MyAuxiliary member portal.
ALA Academy Live webinars currently available:
- Using Social Media to Your Unit’s Advantage
- Using Poppy Funds
- Unit Fundraising Panel
- ALA Junior Leadership Training (includes four webinars)
- Mission Delivery Series (includes four webinars)
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The application process for 2022-2023 national committee appointments is now open. 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. The goal is to match skill sets and talents that best complement the Auxiliary’s mission of serving veterans, the military, and their families. Some committees, like ALA Girls Nation, Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation (for the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival), and Junior Activities require physical agility and endurance. You need not have served as an officer in your district or department to be eligible for an appointment, and male spouse ALA members are welcome to apply. The application window is Nov. 1 – Dec. 15. Apply now!
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Updated national C&B booklet available to download |
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The updated 2021 ALA National Constitution, Bylaws, and Standing Rules is now available as a free download through the MyAuxiliary member portal. On the advice of registered parliamentarian Chris Dickey, it now includes national policies. When the print version is available from American Legion Flag & Emblem Sales, we will let you know!
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Juniors can earn new ALA caregiver patch |
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American Legion Auxiliary National President Kathy Daudistel's focus is on caring for those who care for others. To complement this focus, a caregiver patch has been added to the ALA Patch Program. This new patch is geared toward ninth- to 12th-graders. There are 10 activities, and five must completed to earn the patch. Learn more about the Junior Patch program in the MyAuxiliary member portal. |
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The November issue of Auxiliary magazine is hitting mailboxes. If you haven’t received your copy yet, you can view it online. In this issue, learn about the benefits of ALA membership, take a look back at ALA National Convention and ALA Girls Nation, and much more! Did an article stand out to you, or did you learn something new in this issue? Let us know!
ALA annual reports are now available online. These include the Commemorative Centennial Report, the Annual Report, and department presidents report. Read them all here.
The ALA Children of Warriors National Presidents’ scholarship is now an online form. Applications will come to ALA National Headquarters and then be distributed to departments (states) for the first round of judging. The American Legion Auxiliary sponsors this scholarship to support the children of our warriors. These scholarships are awarded to 15 students annually who excel in academics and volunteer in their communities. The scholarship deadline is March 1, 2022.
We hope you’ll renew your Auxiliary membership so we can keep serving our mission strongly. Take care of your membership in three easy ways: by phone, online, or mail. Go to www.ALAforVeterans.org, call (317) 569-4570, or mail in your renewal notice.
Do you shop Amazon Prime? If you do, be sure to use AmazonSmile! Through Amazon’s charitable program, AmazonSmile, you can support the American Legion Auxiliary Foundation. Simply sign in through this special link and select the American Legion Auxiliary. Amazon will donate 0.5% of every purchase you make to the ALA Foundation. It may seem small, but a little can add up to a lot.
The ALA in Numbers. 205,646 — number of children served through American Legion Family youth activities in the 2019-2021 administrative year!
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Find ALA program committee groups on Facebook |
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Discover what your fellow ALA members are saying in the committee Facebook groups! These easy-to-access forums provide an arena for organic discussion about your local programs or services and present the opportunity to cultivate brand awareness. Find the list of groups here.
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The excitement of having in-person department and national conventions is subsiding. As a newly elected officer, it is time to get down to unit, district, and department business. Have you spent a little time getting to know each other? Is your leadership ready for business?
Read your unit/department constitution, bylaws, and standing rules. The members of your executive committee or board — typically your officers, but check your bylaws — have legal responsibilities: the duty of care, duty of obedience, and duty of loyalty. You now must transition from thinking “This is how I feel I should act” about a situation to “What action is legally expected from my position?” Well-written governing documents should provide leadership with the guidance they need. So, the very first thing you should do is find and read your unit or department constitution, bylaws, and standing rules. Bring a copy with you to every board meeting. Yes, every board meeting. That document should be dog eared and coffee stained by the end of the year!
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For most of us, November is traditionally the month we have family gatherings and recall all of the things we are thankful for. It’s a wonderful time to be together with family and friends and reminisce about good times we had together. But for military families with someone deployed, a holiday can be a very difficult time.
November is also National Military Family Appreciation Month. It’s a time to remember how much military families sacrifice when their servicemember is off protecting our freedom. Although we appreciate these families every day, in November we make an extra effort to thank military families for the immense contribution they make to support our military, their mission, and our nation. Military life makes so many demands on them, and they show exceptional courage and strength during these difficult times.
So, what can we, as members of the American Legion Auxiliary, do to show how much we appreciate our military families?
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The American Legion Auxiliary has always been committed to enhancing the lives of our nation’s veterans — including our homeless veterans. Each year, ALA members find different ways to help in their communities and advocate for ways to address homelessness. Whether you donate money to a veteran-focused organization or volunteer your time to a project that helps homeless veterans, you are making a difference.
With winter right around the corner, veterans living on the street need our help to stay warm and safe. Get your ALA unit together and try one of these projects to help:
- Create a “Tree of Warmth” by collecting scarves, mittens, gloves, hats, and socks, and attaching them to a tree in a location the homeless may frequent. Include a sign that reads, “Please take if needed,” “Free if needed,” or something similar.
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Asking your neighbor for a cup of sugar doesn’t seem so daunting. Yet, asking someone to donate to a cause you feel so passionately about can cause your palms to sweat and your heart to race.
The American Legion Auxiliary Foundation Board of Directors took this challenge head on when they invited Marcy Heim, fundraising consultant, to lead a daylong training on “Making an Artful Ask.”
“Each year, I look forward to learning something new and being challenged to think outside the box for ways to work and meet our mission,” said Terri Wallace, ALAF board treasurer.
After a morning discussing how to create a culture of generosity, why people give, and the cycle of successful relationships, the board was ready to write and make their own ask. With Heim’s three-sentence ask, board members quickly learned they could use it to ask for anything.
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Don't miss out on ALA member benefits! |
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USAA is proud to serve the American Legion Auxiliary. When you join USAA, you become part of an extended, military-based family that can be passed down from generation to generation. To learn more about this member benefit, click here.
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Nov. 10 – American Legion Auxiliary’s 102nd birthday
Nov. 10 – Marine Corps birthday
Nov. 11 – Veterans Day (ALA National Headquarters’ offices closed)
Nov. 25 - Thanksgiving
Nov. 28-Dec. 6 – Hanukkah
Nov. 30 - #GivingTuesday
Dec. 7 – Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
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How did attending ALA Girls State prepare you for your future? |
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“ALA Volunteer Girls State was the first place where the notion that I could be anything, do anything was truly tangible. It was the first place where I met women who were doing all kinds of things. I didn’t leave ALA Girls State ready to join the military, but I left knowing it was possible.”
— Kathy Isaacson, Tennessee
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An exciting Legion Family volunteer opportunity in 2022
The American Legion National Oratorical Finals invites American Legion Auxiliary members to participate as contest staff at the 2022 event. The National Oratorical Finals will be held April 23-24, 2022, at the Wyndham West Hotel in Indianapolis.
Youth programs of The American Legion rely heavily upon the support of volunteer time. Please be assured that while volunteer time is a commodity greatly appreciated and highly valued by our organization, we want to ensure your awareness that The American Legion National Headquarters will not provide any financial compensation for your time or travel expenses associated with your volunteer support of the 2022 American Legion National High School Oratorical Contest.
Please consider volunteering for this prestigious event. Those interested in volunteering can register online.
Show your support for Buddy Checks
The American Legion joined forces in 2020 with a bipartisan group of senators to battle the suicide epidemic plaguing the nation’s veterans. These efforts resulted in a bill modeled after The American Legion’s “Buddy Check National Week of Calling.”
The U.S. Senate passed S.544, directing the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to designate one week each year as "Buddy Check Week" by unanimous consent in early October.
The future of the legislation now hangs in the balance if the U.S. House of Representatives doesn’t act before Congress recesses in December. If they don’t, it could be months before they consider the legislation again.
You can contact your representative directly here.
The bill does more than establish a symbolic Buddy Check week. It will require VA to provide educational opportunities, materials, and references for veterans to learn how to conduct personal wellness checks. Additionally, the bill compels VA to expand resources for the Veterans Crisis Line to handle any potential increased usage during the designated week.
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Historical marker honors American Legion’s first national headquarters
The marker was placed outside the building at 777 North Meridian St. in Indianapolis last month. The building also was once home to American Legion Auxiliary National Headquarters and The American Legion’s Department of Indiana.
In 1994, it was placed on the National Historic Landmarks Registry.
The building is now the Indiana Veterans’ Center which is a centralized location for veteran services.
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Legion Family Merchandise
Show your support by buying from
American Legion Flag & Emblem Sales.
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The American Legion Legislative Alerts
The ALA supports the legislative agenda of The American Legion.
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In the spirit of Service Not Self, the mission of the American Legion Auxiliary is to support The American Legion and honor the sacrifice of those who serve by enhancing the lives of our veterans, military, and their families, both at home and abroad. For God and country, we advocate for veterans, educate our citizens, mentor youth, and promote patriotism, good citizenship, peace, and security.
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