American Legion Auxiliary looks back on a year of service
Submitted by Arlene Lolley
The American Legion Auxiliary Units of the 10th District in Lake County will be celebrating their 95th year of serving the community.
Their projects include programs to educate students to become alert citizens and better leaders; feeding the hungry; participation with military deployments sessions and Warming Our Wounded Troops with clothing, jump suits and blankets; serving veterans at the Captain James Lovell Medical Center; and providing food and clothing to homeless veterans.
Scholarship funds and applications are provided for students and members for educational and nursing programs.
This year the auxiliary will be promoting its 75th year with the Girls State program. This program helps to educate future leaders by teaching local and state government procedures, as well as the responsibilities of being a good citizen.
The District Units, with the assistance of the Legionnaires, distributed poppies, which provided winter hats, scarves, gloves, gift cards and school supplies for the homeless, along with donations to the Veterans Assistance Commission and needy military families.
The Mundelein Unit worked in conjunction with Denise Fuller and the Grayslake Protestant Church to provide Christmas gifts for the hospitalized veterans at the Captain James Lovell Medical Center and their families.
Feed Our Hungry Children was another community program where hours were spent packaging food for overseas countries. Time was also spent promoting items for serving military veterans in conjunction with a Jewel Food Store event.
The District and Mundelein Unit members assisted in promoting the Creative Arts Festival, where veterans display their artistic talent and perform with song or instruments.
Americans for the Arts honored the American Legion Auxiliary with its Outstanding Contribution to the Arts Award for the auxiliary's important work helping veterans heal through the arts, most notably through the ALA's cosponsorship of the annual National Veterans Creative Arts Festival.
Americans for the Arts presented its prestigious National Arts Awards in New York City recently.
Memorial Day and the Fourth of July provided an opening for the auxiliary ladies and junior members to participate in holiday parades, in addition to stuffing school bags in conjunction with the ALA Give 10/10 for Education program.
Some of the Unit members spend many hours volunteering, assisted with marriage counseling, and worked on the Veterans History program by connecting with the Lake County Court House to help veterans register to be interviewed and have their recorded stories sent to the Library of Congress.
Auxiliary members also sold ride tickets at the Legion Fourth of July ticket booth as a fundraiser, prepared pediatric bags for the Thomasboro Fire Department, held a Mad Hatter Tea, prepared a Father's Day Luncheon and participated in several cancer walkathons.
This year the Unit will focus on The Auxiliary Emergency Fund, the No Veterans Dies Alone program, and the Fischer House and on honoring students who served in the Armed Military Forces, under the direction of the new 10th District President Karen Stetina.
Feeding veterans and the Fisher House were the 2013-14 project of Past District President LaVera Davis, who carried out many big projects during her reign.
A 500-word Americanism essay contest is now available. The topic is "What new Amendment should be added to the U.S. Constitution?" Awards for the American Legion Auxiliary up to $1,200 are given to the department and national winners.
Essays are being accepted by the Mundelein ALA Units, on or before Feb. 6. Send entries to Arlene Lolley, 33119 Valley View Drive, Wildwood 60030-2164.
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