January 2026 - Turn in your 2026 Membership!

Department President

The American Legion Auxiliary has stood for more than a century as a force for good—advocating for veterans, strengthening communities, and shaping the lives of military families. Our legacy is powerful, but it is not guaranteed. The future of the ALA depends on a simple truth: experienced members must intentionally guide, mentor, and uplift the next generation of Auxiliary leaders.

Long‑time members carry the heartbeat of this organization. They remember the early days of traditions, the evolution of programs, and the countless hours spent supporting veterans, active‑duty service members, and their families. They understand the deeper meaning behind our mission and the values that have sustained us for decades.

But wisdom that isn’t shared becomes wisdom that is lost. When seasoned members step forward to mentor, they transform their personal experiences into a living bridge between the ALA’s past and its future. Doing so preserves institutional memory, passes down traditions and values, and strengthens the culture of service.

Every experienced member has something invaluable to offer. Mentorship doesn’t require a formal program or a large time commitment. It can be as simple as: inviting a new member to help with a project, explaining the history behind a tradition, offering guidance during planning or events, or checking in regularly to answer questions.

These small acts create belonging. They build confidence. They cultivate leaders. And most importantly, they ensure that the ALA’s mission continues long after today’s leaders step back.

When knowledge isn’t passed on, organizations face predictable challenges: Such as leadership gaps, loss of traditions and identity, declining membership, and difficulty sustaining programs.

These issues don’t appear overnight—they emerge when experienced members withdraw and newer members are left to navigate alone.

If you are a long‑time member of the American Legion Auxiliary, your leadership is needed now more than ever. Your stories, your lessons, your passion for service—these are gifts that can shape the next generation of ALA leaders.

And if you are a newer member, don’t hesitate to reach out. Ask questions. Seek guidance. Show your willingness to learn and serve.

The ALA’s strength has always come from supporting each other, generations lifting each other up, and communities united in service. Mentorship is how we honor that legacy—and how we ensure it continues.

The future of the American Legion Auxiliary is not written yet.

But together—experienced and new—we will write a future worthy of our mission and our veterans.

Kim Dixon

Department Vice President

The holidays are over and hopefully everyone found time to relax, laugh, enjoy each other, and make memories. Thank you to everyone who participated in Wreaths Across America. That was one cold day, but wherever you were, you represented the Iowa ALA proudly! Thank you for your dedication and commitment to honoring those who have gone before us. Your commitment to honoring those who have gone before us is truly appreciated.

Brian and I attended the services of SSGT. “Nate” Howard, Iowa National Guard, killed in Syria on Dec.13, 2025. What a touching and emotional experience. Due to the weather, we did not get a chance to attend the viewing of SSGT Edgar Torres-Tovar. We did drop off a card, and it was so wonderful to see some of our own Legion family members there holding flags at the door. Thank you, everyone, for continuing to support our community and Legion family in meaningful ways.

Judy Ring

Department Junior President

Hello, I hope you're all doing amazingly well. I am still collecting pop tabs and various items for veterans to enjoy, including Crossword Puzzles, Sudoku, word searches, playing cards, and drawing supplies. I am also still collecting things for the baby boxes. I am going to be collecting pop tabs until March 1st. Also at camp, Dorris said that the girls and I will be putting together the baby boxes. We will do that for one of our days there at camp. I am also going to be attending the Central Division at the end of January. I also encourage the girls to sign up for camp in June. They should get signed up early because if they dont sign up, then we won’t have camp and we dont want that to happen. I encourage all the girls to sign up because it will be a week full of great things.

Lea Campbell

National Executive Committee Member

ALA Academy LIVE: Wills & Estate Planning: Essential Documents and Practical Guidance Date: Jan. 27, 2026

Time: Noon – 1:30 p.m. ET

This session will provide participants with straightforward, easy-to-understand information about the core components of estate planning. The presentation will explain the purpose of key legal documents, common considerations for families of all types, and the practical steps individuals should take to ensure their wishes are clearly documented. Participants will also receive guidance on how to begin or update an estate plan and where to find reliable resources.

Please note: The presenting attorney is licensed in Virginia, the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Minnesota. This session is for informational purposes only and does not include legal advice.

Make sure to sign up for this session. Also, go on the National website to check out recordings of the previously offered sessions on various topics.

Kelly Elliott

Department Executive Director

1. Membership processing

Does it coordinate itself?

No.

Who does it:

Membership chairs or officers
Unit/department volunteers
Sometimes a national office staff member (for databases)

What they actually do:

Process applications and renewals
Collect dues
Enter member data
Answer questions
Track eligibility
Report numbers up the chain

2. Events and programs

Do events coordinate themselves?

Absolutely not.

Who does it:

Program chairs
Event committees
Volunteers who step up to lead

Behind the scenes work includes:

Planning dates and locations
Getting approvals
Booking venues
Advertising events
Coordinating volunteers
Ordering supplies
Cleaning up afterward

3. Stipends or reimbursements

Do stipend checks write themselves?

No.

Who does it:

Treasurer
Finance committee
Authorized signers

Steps involved:

Someone submits documentation
Someone verifies eligibility
Treasurer writes the check
Officers sign it
Records are logged for audits

4. Donations and deposits

Do donation checks deposit themselves?

No.

Who does it:

Treasurer or assistant treasurer
Sometimes a financial secretary

Process usually looks like:

Donations collected
Logged and receipted
Deposited at a bank
Recorded in financial books
Reported to the unit and higher levels

5. Paying the bills for the ALA.

Who pays the bills?

Again—people.

Usually handled by:

Treasurer
Finance committee
Officers with spending authority

Includes:

Rent or utilities (if applicable)
Insurance
Event expenses
Supplies
National or department dues

6. Who is “behind the scenes”?

Mostly:

Volunteers
Often the same few people wearing multiple hats
Sometimes burned out because the work is invisible

In most local units:

90–100% of the work is volunteer-run
Paid staff (if any) are usually at state or national levels

Bottom line

Volunteer organizations Like the ALA, run on:

Accountability
Trust
Structure
And people who show up and do unglamorous work

Nothing:

Automates itself
Coordinates itself
Pays itself

If nobody steps up, things don’t happen.

Crystal Wright

Department Chaplain

I recently had the opportunity to participate in a funeral service for one of our long-time members. When talking to the family, I simply asked if they would like the American Legion Auxiliary service done at Mom’s funeral. Mom was very active and very patriotic. She came from a military family, married a Marine, and her grandson is now serving overseas. She always made sure that her granddaughters and great-granddaughters' dues were paid each year.

Having only seen the service once (and I was probably 12), I felt just a little overwhelmed. Looking through the Manual of Ceremonies in the Unit Handbook, I found several options for a service, but none of them fit my time constraint and the individual for whom the service was intended.

I took a look at each of the services and utilized a piece of each one. In preparation for the service, it was also important to have a poppy laid on the urn. I asked if her great-granddaughter would like to help with the service. She was thrilled to be asked and, of course, did a great job. The service was simple, allowed the congregation to recognize that she was important to our organization, and it also involved her family.

Know your members and honor each and every one of them in a way that is appropriate for their service to the American Legion Auxiliary.

Dawn Aberle

Department Historian

New Year 2026

As we enter into the New Year, it is the time to renew our resolve to record the history of our organization.

In this New Year, let us focus on the good we do and our mission. In what ways are you serving the mission and purpose of the American Legion Auxiliary? What tried and true events will be held again this year? What new events would you like to try? How are you involving new and younger members in your activities?

As always, please share with me the events of your American Legion Family so that I can share them with President Kim in a history of her year.

Alida Kolthoff, Historian

1st District President

Welcome to January First District, we are halfway through and headed for Mid-Winter. Are you still collecting your pennies?? If you are interested in dropping them off before Mid-Winter, you are welcome to bring them to me at Primary Care in the Iowa City VA Hospital; otherwise, you can still bring them to Mid-Winter. The Penny Competition ends Saturday night of Mid-Winter.

This Year Marks Americas 250th Anniversary. There is a big push on Volunteering, so make sure your members and Units are logging those hours!

I sent out an email about Mid-WInter Hospitality Room. Please contact me if you have any questions.

Happy Winter

Julianne Jensen

2nd District President

Hello from the 2^nd District! I want to start by thanking everyone who has supported the Penny War. If you still have pennies at the unit level, make sure to take them to the bank, get a receipt for everything turned in and forward the money to someone going to mid-winter if you are not. If you're unsure who, send the money directly to the department by check with the receipt attached, and make sure you identify the 2^nd District in the mailing so our district gets credit. If your unit wants to just plan to support the cause, feel free to send a check to the department and mark it the same way. Every penny, nickel, dime, quarter, or paper bill collected will help the department. We might not have the most pennies, but we will still be supporting our American Legion Auxiliary Department of Iowa.

If you plan on being at Mid-Winter, feel free to bring that check with you and find me, and I will turn it in with the money I have already collected.

If you have not paid your dues for 2026, what are you waiting for? Get your money sent to your unit membership chairman. Chairman, you better be processing the payments quickly and hopefully getting them entered into ALAMIS, which is the quickest and easiest way to get the payment processed.

God Bless America! Stay warm, and hope to see some new faces at Mid-Winter Conference.

Helen Hildebrand

3rd District President

Here we are in January - hope everyone had a safe and healthy holiday. We have quite a bit going on in the next couple of months. Mid-Winter Conference at the Holiday Inn, by the Des Moines Airport, February 13-15. If you can’t make the whole weekend, come on Saturday for the latest information. If you’ve not been to any of our conferences before, it could be overwhelming (I know this from experience) at times, but it outweighs the information you gain. Saturday morning Program Fair runs from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 am. The Legion and the Auxiliary will have information from their different committees available for you and will answer any questions. The Auxiliary General session starts at 9:15 AM. Don’t forget your pennies, as it all gets turned in Saturday night.

Congratulations to the Units who switched to ALAMIS to do their membership for this year; next year will be a breeze.

The new lift at IVH has been installed and is waiting for State inspection.

Spring Conference will be March 14, 2026, at the Parkersburg Veterans’ Memorial Building, 102 Colfax St.

Veronica Daniel

4th District President

The New Year is off and slipping by quickly already! Hope your resolutions are going well!

Is one of yours Membership? A new year and a renewed start to contacting members to renew and inviting new into your Unit. Every member matters to the mission of Family and taking care of veterans and each other in our communities. 4^th District is currently in 4^th place. YES WE CAN!

Mid-Winter is Feb. 13-15^th and has lots to offer our Units with Program Fair on Saturday morning. I always learn so much about what the Auxiliary offers to serve Veterans. There is always something more that we can do. If you can’t come for the weekend, check out the schedule, grab some members and come for the day! More info can be found at iowaala.org

There will be a Silent Auction to benefit Girls State. A great way to fund raise. Donations are needed. You could do a themed basket, gently used/new items and a bake sale. This event is so important to the success of the Girls State Program. Not attending, but would like to donate? Please let Susan know and we can help with that!

Please contact your schools and be sure they receive the application for Merit Awards open to all high school seniors. If you know some seniors, be sure to inform and encourage!

A reminder to check out the website for information, expectations and deadlines for Junior Camp. Encourage your Juniors to attend Junior Conference, Sunday March 8 in Spillville at the Library. The address is 201 Oak Street. Helen Pinter and Mary Mooberry are encouraging any Unit that has junior members to please attend this Junior Conference. We are working to have a fun, enjoyable day for our juniors and their mentors! There will be invites sent the middle of February with more information. If your unit would like an invite, please let us know. You don’t have to be a junior to attend!

If you have Pennies, give me a call. We can arrange pick up easily. Mid-Winter is the deadline!

Thank you for all you do and the care and concern you put into all that you selflessly do for others!

Hope to see you soon!

Susan Franzen

5th District President

I have certainly been busy since Christmas. As you are all aware, membership is crucial to the success of our organization. As a Unit i have been busy checking on all of our unpaid members. This is a great time for a call or a visit to make sure your members are alright. I get a lot of buddy checks in this way. Most I contact are grateful for the visit and more than willing to pay their dues that might have slipped their mind. I have also been trying to recruit new members, and be aware that when you recruit 10 new members, you are eligible for a token of appreciation. Let's grow and help build our auxiliary!

The Penny War is winding down. Such a great fundraiser by our Department, not to mention all the fun I have had participating in it.

It will end at Midwinter. I am definitely still taking pennies and will be glad to come get them or meet you somewhere. I know some places where pennies are getting scarce. I am out to help our Department. I will take any change you have, bills, or checks. I am not picky when it comes to a fundraiser. I also challenge other Districts to do the same.

A reminder to all Units in my district, please invite me to your meetings, fundraisers, and dinners. I would like to see how you are doing, along with new ideas. I can share ideas and let you know what other units are doing.

The 5th District junior conference will be held in Deep River on March 8th at 2:00 P.M. I would love to see lots of Juniors from the 5th District.

Continue to do buddy checks, support our veterans, and definitely donate to the VA's, together we can achieve great things.

For God and Country

Kristi Bridges

6th District President

Happy New Year, friends! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and are re-energized to accomplish even more great things in 2026! Perhaps the number one priority at this moment is to get memberships collected and submitted to the Department. National President Pam Ray just reminded us in her recent newsletter that Spring storms and their potential for damage will soon be with us. Members with unpaid dues are no longer eligible to request assistance through the Auxiliary Emergency Fund, nor can they take advantage of any of the other countless benefits available to ALA members. Please make every effort to get memberships paid for the good of our organization and the heroes that we serve.

Since I already mentioned AEF, did you remember that our 6th District AEF Chairperson, Sue Cline, gave each unit an envelope at Fall Conference with a challenge to bring it back to Spring Conference with at least $40 in it? If each unit completes that challenge, we will easily meet our District goal for AEF contributions. Please “pass the hat” at an upcoming meeting or set aside $40 or more from an upcoming fundraiser earmarked for this important purpose. It might make a world of difference to someone in desperate need of help.

I hope many of you are planning to attend the Department of Iowa Mid-Winter Conference in Des Moines, February 13-15, 2026. Don’t forget to register each attendee using the link available on the Department’s website. Hope to see you there!

Sharon Luellen

7th District President

This is the beginning of a new year, a time to renew our motivation and spirit in the fresh cold January air. Last year was full of excitement. I have met so many extraordinary people and am truly thankful for the experience. I look at those I’ve met and see strength and resilience; I have seen large community support for those difficult times with the loss of some of Iowa’s heroes. As we move into this new year, let us bring with us true kindness and compassion. Let’s move forward with motivation and determination, for self-improvement is the only way upwards. Let’s uplift each other. Improvement of oneself improves the group as a whole. United we stand, divided we fall.

This new year brings with it new chances to help those around us. Working together, we can make a difference in the lives of our veterans. Many events are coming up with the Mid-Winter Conference in Des Moines from February 13^th through 15^th. The District 7 Spring Conference is on March 7^th in Stanton, IA. The location is the Viking Center. Hospitality will be held in Red Oak on March 6^th. The Spring conference is also when they hold the election for district officers. If you’re interested in a great opportunity and so much fun with the fantastic Department team, I encourage you to attend. I will be sending out invitations to each Auxiliary Unit in our District. This has been such a great experience, meeting so many from our District, State, and National Legion and Auxiliary. I am truly thankful for the opportunity to get to know everyone. I am inspired by you all.

As the coldest parts of winter are setting in, make sure that we are there for our veterans and each other. If they are cold, give them a blanket. If they are hungry, give them a meal. There are many activities going on to help support our district units to raise money to comfort our American Heroes. If any unit in our district would like to have an event mentioned in my District 7 Newsletter, please email me. I would be happy to help you be successful in your endeavors.

Penny Clair

8th District President

The holiday season is the time we often think of those less fortunate than ourselves. Thoughts turn to helping and giving to those in need including our veterans. But do we remember our veterans and families have needs beyond Thanksgiving and Christmas? Their lives like ours are filled with the challenges of living each and every day of the year.

January is the month of new beginnings, new ideas, and resolutions. It is the same for the Auxiliary, have you, your unit, or county shared ideas for this new year? There are so many ways we can include ourselves, units, counites and department in helping our veterans young and old and their families especially the children of our deployed heroes. Maybe you or your unit are brain storming to come up with new and helpful ideas for veterans and your communities. Try supporting an organization or veterans program you have not supported in the past. Maybe just making a new friend, or helping a neighbor you have not helped before. Remember our deployed men and women, as they begin this new year away from family and friends. Send a note or a care package, it may just turn a not so good day into something special. Best of all stop, greet and thank a veteran were ever you may be. You never know what kind of day they are having and a hand shake and a thank you may be just what they need.” BE THE ONE”!

Registration for Girls State began January 1^st. So, encourage your girl stater to get registered.

This is the beginning of the second half of the school year for our seniors and many of them are planning their future by attending college or a trade school. There are American Legion Scholarships available at the National, State and 8^th District level. The applications can be found on the national and department web sites. Copies can be printed off and taken to the guidance counselor at your local high school. Our youth are the future of The American Legion Auxiliary!

Mark your calendars and join our Auxiliary sisters at Mid-Winter Conference February 13-15^th, Airport Holiday Inn DesMoines, IA. There is something for everyone learning, friendship, food and fun. I am looking forward to seeing all of you there. You can find the program of events online at iowala.org. The 8^th District Spring Conference is April 11, at the Crossroads Hotel and Event Center, Fort Dodge, IA. Make plans to come and share the day. More details coming.

Remember the penny wars are still going until Mid-Winter Conference.

In closing I wish you and the 8^th District a successful and prosperous 2026. Our veterans need us and what we do for them along with our prayers!

Donna Jensen

9th District President

I’m looking forward to attending the Midwinter Conference. Hopefully most of you are as well. It is an opportunity to greet old friends and make new ones. There are also opportunities to learn of the successes of other units in dealing with issues as well as innovative projects. You also can obtain information about programs available both old and new.

Another reason I am anticipating the conference is we will receive the results of the penny challenge. Get your pennies to me before or at the conference. We want our district to be a winner.

Hopefully 2026 is off to a good beginning and you are well into your planning for the year. The Moville unit of which I am a member has an item listed for each meeting to bring that will be given to the Sioux Falls VA Hospital. We have two ladies who deliver these items on a frequent basis. A couple examples are deodorant or shaving cream. The items are chosen from the hospital’s want list. Are you planning a way to celebrate the 250th? We need to do a special celebration this year.

Have you reached out to those members who haven’t renewed their membership? Do you know why? Is it something that you can address? Have you identified other persons who are potential members? Have you reached out to them? Have you reached out to members you haven’t seen for a while? Remember we want no one left behind.

Marilyn Berke

Membership Position Opening

If you are interested in becoming the membership person, please reach out to Crystal Wright.

Job Description: CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Job Types: Part-time Flexible Hours

Pay: $15.00 - $18.00 per hour

Expected hours: 20 – 40 per week

Role Description

This is a full-time on-site Membership Services role located in Des Moines, IA at the American Legion Auxiliary. The Membership Services representative will be responsible for providing customer service to members, managing membership sales and finances, and utilizing analytical skills to improve membership engagement and retention.

Qualifications