A Community of Volunteers Serving Veterans, Military, and their Families
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Join The American Legion Family in proudly flying the flag of the United States of America on Flag Day, Tuesday, June 14. ALA units and Legion posts nationwide will also conduct proper flag-collection and retirement ceremonies, host flag education sessions, and encourage all Americans to fly the U.S. flag this day and throughout the year.
Government and businesses can buy flags/equipment from American Legion Flag & Emblem Sales, an approved entity that can sell flags and flag display equipment to government agencies at the federal, state, and local levels. American Legion Family members can help raise awareness about the American Legion Auxiliary and generate revenue for the Legion Family by encouraging government and businesses to buy USA-made flags and flag equipment from Emblem Sales. Any VA facility, company, church, civic organization, or the public can buy flags and flag items from Emblem Sales.
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ALA Juniors: Apply now before the July deadline | |
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ALA Juniors who attended one of the five national Junior meetings this year are eligible to run for their division’s Honorary National Junior Division Vice President. Juniors who wish to run must complete an Intent to Run for Office form, to be submitted to ALA National Headquarters by July 22.
Contact [email protected] for a copy of the form. Elections will be held Aug. 1-12, and results will be announced during the national Junior Activities Committee chairman’s platform remarks at National Convention in late August.
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Mark your calendars for our biggest event! | |
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ALA National Headquarters staff and volunteer leadership are busy preparing for our 101st National Convention. This year, we’ll gather in Milwaukee Aug. 26-Sept. 1.
You can follow along with our social media @ALAforVeterans and our livestream at www.ALAforVeterans.org/convention. If you are attending, take pictures and post on social media! Tag @ALAforVeterans and use the hashtags #AuxCon22 and #AmericanLegionAuxiliary.
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Celebrating a major milestone | |
This July marks the 75th session of ALA Girls Nation! Follow @ALAGirlsNation on social media July 23-30 to follow along. ALA media wants to hear from all ages of alumnae! Tell us about your experience and memories from ALA Girls Nation and ALA Girls State. Email us! | |
Help us celebrate National President Kathy Daudistel’s birthday! | |
National President Kathy Daudistel’s birthday is July 10. YOU can sign her birthday card by making a gift to the American Legion Auxiliary Foundation in support of veteran caregivers and other Auxiliary programs. Add your name to Kathy’s card today! | |
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We love meeting members and getting to know them. We hope you love meeting the National Headquarters staff too. Stay tuned to learn more about each division at NHQ in our monthly ALA eNews and on our social media (@ALAforVeterans).
ALA National Headquarters staff are devoted to helping all members and the public know who we are, what we do, and why the ALA matters. Staff execute the policies, programs, memberships, national events, trainings, financials, fundraising, marketing, and so much more. All of these things help our members serve veterans, military, and their families. In addition, staff provide resources, guidance, and support.
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New, easier to print, American Legion Family membership forms available. In a rush? Need American Legion Family applications quickly for an event? Try these simpler versions which can be printed from your home office — and without stealing all of your ink! We removed the color block headers from the original brochure (which you can still order from your department/state ALA office if you prefer) to make things easier for your membership recruiting activities. Visit www.ALAforVeterans.org to download this black-and-white version.
New coloring book available. We’ve added to the ALA collection of coloring books. You can now order and download the America the Beautiful coloring book. These books are a great way to spread awareness of the ALA and our important mission to families in your community.
Have you renewed your American Legion Auxiliary membership? Renew for 2022 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.
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Find ALA program committee groups on Facebook | |
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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Joyce Livingston is no stranger to caregiving and what it takes. She cared for her husband, Robert, when he battled various ailments between 1975 and 2020. His medical issues ranged from diabetes to torn rotator cuff surgery to heart attacks to cancer.
“No one knows what a caregiver goes through until they become one themselves,” Livingston said. “You have to want to do it. You have to be there and put your heart into it. If you’re not willing to do everything you need to do, you won’t survive.”
Livingston and Robert were married for 61 years, and for much of that time, she took care of him. Ailment after ailment, they continued praying that he would get better and sought medical help for each diagnosis.
She was still working as Robert’s health was declining, so she ended up retiring earlier than planned in 2010 so she could be his full-time caregiver.
Livingston never really took respite for herself while caring for her husband — she took a nap here and there, but not much time to herself beyond that.
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“We just continue to honor her,” said Virginia Moylan of her late daughter, Alivia. “She was an exceptional young girl.”
Alivia passed away in 2020 at the age of 12 following a tragic all-terrain vehicle accident. Since then, her family has focused on honoring her memory through the Alivia Paige Moylan Memorial Scholarship Fund.
On June 11, the first “Livi Strong” Memorial Soccer Fest will be held in Whitesboro, N.Y.
Proceeds from the Soccer Fest will go toward scholarships for students who exemplify Alivia’s commitment to athletics, academics, friendship, and community, and who wish to enter the health care or veterinary science field. For more information on the event, visit www.livistrongfoundation.org. For those unable to be there in person, but still want to contribute to the cause, you can donate here.
In addition to her love of sports, Alivia was very active in her local American Legion Auxiliary New York Unit 1113.
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Lesa Dingman, 31, a single mom and American Legion Auxiliary Non-Traditional Student Scholarship recipient, has been very active in The American Legion Family since she was young, eventually leading to her becoming an adult member of the ALA. Veterans, military, and their families have always meant a lot to Dingman. Even into adulthood, she cannot sit around knowing these brave men and women are in need.
“I feel like they are not really well looked out for in our country like they should be. I feel like by volunteering in the Legion [Family], I can help get them there, which is fulfilling,” Dingman said.
In comparison, her path as a student has not been as linear. Dingman first went to technical school, acquired her medical assistant degree, and began working as a medical scribe. Eventually, she realized this was not the career path for her. At that point, she was a single mom working full time. However, she did not let it deter her. Dingman is now pursuing her true passion as a dual-enrolled student at Montcalm Community College and Michigan State University as she studies agriculture operations, despite the uncertainties that come with being a non-traditional student.
“You’re too old, or it’s not worth it, or you don’t have the time, too stressful, forgotten too much since high school, it would be too hard. Those are the thoughts in your head.”
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An American Legion Auxiliary member since 1932, Arizona Unit 62 member Lorita Holmes has seen quite a few changes in the American Legion Auxiliary and the world over the past several decades. But one thing hasn’t changed — her dedication to the mission, not only of the Auxiliary, but of The American Legion Family. With 90-plus years of ALA membership, Lorita embodies what it means to be part of an organization focused on Service Not Self.
You became an ALA Junior member at 1 year old. Did your parents share with you later the importance of signing you up as a member at a young age?
My dad, George “Bud” Gilliland, was a World War I veteran, and my parents were both longtime members of The American Legion. My mom, Dolores Gilliland, wanted to instill in me the importance of patriotism and honor, so right from the start, she enrolled me as a member of an organization dedicated to those principles. I grew up in the Legion and Auxiliary, along with my younger brother.
To put my years of membership into perspective, that same year I became a member, 1932, was when Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic, and Hattie Caraway was the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate, representing Arkansas.
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Don't miss out on ALA member benefits! | |
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BlueStar SeniorTech is a veteran-owned and operated company, so service to their customers is “mission-critical.” BlueStar SeniorTech provides healthcare services and technology tailored to help seniors live better lives as they age. ALA members: You’re eligible for a special 10% discount on your choice of all products and services with code ALA.
Shop for ways to make life easier, safer, and more comfortable for you and your loved ones.
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June – PTSD Awareness Month
June 12 – Women Veterans Day
June 14 – Flag Day
June 14 – U.S. Army birthday
June 19 – Father’s Day
June 19 – Juneteenth
June 20 – Juneteenth federal holiday observed (NHQ offices closed)
June 27 – PTSD Awareness Day
July 4 – Independence Day (NHQ offices closed)
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What does your American Legion Auxiliary membership mean to you? | |
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“Community, pride, and love for the men and women who have served to provide us the freedoms we often take for granted. Being an ALA member means being a servant-leader and offering care to veterans and their families through various programs and resources, so anyone needing a help up, not a handout, can turn to the ALA for that support.”
— Lindsay Gutierrez, Georgia
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URGENT! ALA members needed to help get PACT Act passed in the Senate
Passed in the House of Representatives in March, the PACT Act would provide Priority Group 6 status for more than 3.5 million veterans exposed to toxic contamination, including burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan. It also expands the list of conditions associated with Agent Orange exposure, and acknowledges illnesses suffered among veterans exposed to atomic radiation and toxic water at Camp Lejeune.
In less than five minutes, you can take action to make a major difference in the lives of veterans. Contact your senators through the Legislative Action Center. There you can easily contact your senators with a pre-written letter.
Members of The American Legion Family can contact their senators through the Legislative Action Center.
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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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