American Legion Auxiliary
October 2019 eNews & eBulletin
ALA National Headquarters names Kelly Circle executive director
Following a yearlong national search, the American Legion Auxiliary is pleased to announce Kelly Circle will join the organization as the executive director of ALA National Headquarters on Nov. 12.

Circle graduated with honors from Northwest Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology. She earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Kansas School of Law and completed her Ph.D. in education at Saint Louis University. Her dissertation research, "College choice of veterans: Variables affecting, and factors veterans consider when choosing their institution of higher learning" helped her gain insight into the wants and needs of veterans returning to school. Circle has spent the last 13 years in higher education administration, most recently as Dean of Instruction at Red Rocks Community College in Lakewood, Colo.

Her leadership philosophy is one of shared governance with collaboration, communication, and respect among all constituents. "Where there is an environment of mutual respect and open communications, the best ideas come to the surface," Circle said. "I want to apply all I've learned through my education, life, and work experience as I serve as executive director and remind the American public of all the wonderful programs the American Legion Auxiliary has to offer to our veterans and our community. As we enter the next century of Service Not Self, I hope to generate enthusiasm among our current members and increase membership, especially with our post-9/11 veteran families."

She is an American Legion Auxiliary member. She joined ALA Unit 153 in Olathe, Kan., in 2006 to honor the service of her father and mother who met while serving in the U.S. Navy. Circle served on a variety of district and department committees, as well as second district vice president and president before moving to Colorado in 2013. She has been honored to serve four years on the government staff at ALA Girls Nation.
Expand your knowledge of serving ALA mission while celebrating our centennial
ALA Mission Training has expanded into two separate, yet related meetings! 

Mission Training 101: Delivery helps members better understand our mission of serving veterans, the military, and their families. These meetings will be held in conjunction with the national Junior meetings. Who should attend? Any enthused, new, or newly active member who wants a deeper understanding of how to use tools the Auxiliary provides in mission delivery. 

  • Baltimore, Md. – Oct. 19, 2019
  • Sioux Falls, S.D. – Oct. 19, 2019
  • Kalamazoo, Mich. – Nov. 2, 2019
  • Orlando, Fla. – Jan. 11, 2020
  • Las Vegas, Nev. – Jan. 25, 2020

Mission Training 201: Development is the next level and helps members overcome common hurdles in mission delivery. Who should attend? Active members looking to welcome and engage other ALA members and supporters in our mission. Attendees should have a basic concept of mission delivery.

  • Hartford, Conn. – March 14, 2020
  • Albuquerque, N.M. – March 21, 2020
  • Nashville, Tenn. – March 28, 2020

This year’s trainings will also include a birthday celebration for the ALA! 

For more information and to register, click here . 
2019 National Veterans Creative Arts Festival coming soon
The 2019 National Veterans Creative Arts Festival (NVCAF) is Oct. 28 to Nov. 3 in Kalamazoo, Mich. NVCAF showcases the art and creativity of veterans who have earned gold medals for their talents at local creative arts competitions. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities use the creative arts to help veterans recover from and cope with physical and emotional disabilities. The American Legion Auxiliary and the VA are co-presenters of NVCAF. For more information, click here . Also, consider a gift to the Veterans Creative Arts Festival Fund, which goes toward supporting art therapy programs in ALA units across the country. Click here to make a donation.
Help us celebrate our 100th birthday! 
The American Legion Auxiliary’s 100th birthday is Nov. 10! Share your excitement for this milestone on Facebook! Host a fundraiser on your personal Facebook page. The steps are simple:

  1. Create a Facebook post as you normally would do. Write something like, “The American Legion Auxiliary is turning 100! I’m hosting a fundraiser to celebrate the ALA’s mission of serving veterans, the military, and their families! Please consider making a donation.” You can add a photo too!
  2. Click the three dots below the Facebook post and select “support nonprofit.”
  3. Enter American Legion Auxiliary Foundation Inc. in the search bar and select.
  4. Click “post” and you are done!

You can also celebrate with a monthly gift. What better way to celebrate the ALA’s centennial than by reaching 100 monthly donors before our 100 th  National Convention? We need your help to reach our goal! Monthly gifts provide the steady support that veterans, military, and their families need. Join this group of consistent supporters by clicking here . 
ALA In the Know eBulletin
Click here to stay updated with October reports and timely articles from ALA national committees, programs, and activities: 100th Anniversary Committee, ALA Girls Nation, Americanism, Children & Youth, Community Service, Education, Legislative, Membership, National Security, Public Relations, and Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation.
Don’t miss your opportunity to own an American Legion collectors’ item
Order an American Legion commemorative coin before they’re gone! These coins also make great gifts! The collection is available from the U.S. Mint and includes three coins – a silver dollar, a gold coin, and a half dollar. All surcharges received from the coins will support The American Legion’s services and programs. Follow this link for pricing and to order.  
Learn who and where to serve in your community
The Military Family Readiness Institute at Purdue University has compiled a report on  Measuring our Communities: The State of Military and Veteran Families in the United States . This report and the organization’s website are great resources to help your American Legion Auxiliary unit identify needs in your community and how to address them. For more information, click here . 
DID YOU KNOW?
Our 100th birthday is Nov. 10! Help your ALA unit spread news about our century of Service Not Self ! The American Legion Auxiliary’s 100th anniversary media toolkit is available for download and includes press releases, speeches, celebration ideas, and more. Click here to download. Also, take pictures of your celebrations and share them on Facebook using hashtags #ALA100 and #ALA100Celebration. Your pictures may be shared on the ALA’s national Facebook page!

Two new ALA Academy courses are available! ALA Juniors e-Learning Course and ALA Fundraising are ready for you to enroll now! The ALA Juniors e-Learning Course is designed with younger members in mind. Juniors will learn about the purpose of the program, how to excel as leaders, tips for speaking to groups, and much more. The ALA Fundraising course teaches members about the four different ALA Foundation grants and how to apply for them, how to plan a fundraiser, how to market your fundraiser, and much more. Be on the lookout for additional ALA Academy courses, including How to Deal with Conflict . Click here to take a class today!

If you shop on Amazon, make sure you’re using AmazonSmile. Through Amazon’s charitable program, AmazonSmile, you can support the American Legion Auxiliary Foundation. Simply sign in though 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 it a little can add up to a lot. 

Stay up to date on the latest ALA news by following American Legion Auxiliary on social media . Did you know the ALA has accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram? Just search for @ALAforVeterans. While on Facebook, also follow @ALAJuniors and @ALAGirlsNation.
ALA Membership
Where does your department stand in Auxiliary Membership? Click here to log in and view the latest reports.
ALA Centennial
It's time to get your ALA centennial celebration items!
The American Legion Legislative Alerts
The ALA supports the legislative agenda of The American Legion.
Don't forget about member benefits
Save on prescriptions with WellRx
Prescriptions can be costly. This year, ALA members have saved an average of 59% on prescriptions by using the free WellRx Prescription Savings Program. To learn more and see other advantages of being an ALA member, click here.
ALA Mission & Vision
Mission Statement
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.

Vision Statement
The vision of the American Legion Auxiliary is to support The American Legion while becoming the premier service organization and foundation of every community providing support for our veterans, our military, and their families by shaping a positive future in an atmosphere of fellowship, patriotism, peace and security.