A Community of Volunteers Serving Veterans, Military, and their Families
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Enjoy a day of smiles 😃 and laughter 😂 while focusing on ALA mission🇺🇸 | |
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Our Mission Trainings are not your typical meetings. They are interactive, fun, and hosted in great cities! Take a break from your normal weekend routine and have a weekend getaway🧳, all while serving the ALA mission🇺🇸.
You can choose any of the five locations; you don’t need to stay within your ALA division:
- Cincinnati and Providence are great fall 🍁 destinations!
- Beat the winter blues by traveling to Las Vegas 🌴 in January!
- In February, enjoy music 🎶 in Nashville or visit Lincoln, Nebraska — the steak 🥩 capital of the world!
Past attendees have returned home with a renewed sense of purpose, creative ideas, and new friends in the ALA.
Register for an ALA Mission Training today!
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Junior Members: The future of the American Legion Auxiliary! | |
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Continue an Auxiliary legacy of service by registering your ALA Junior for a national Junior meeting! But don’t think of these as “meetings” — they are more like a fun day at camp! Think of singing songs, playing games, and making crafts. But don’t worry: Our young members will learn about the ALA and gain leadership skills while having fun!
‼️NEW THIS YEAR — therapy dogs 🦮🐕🦺 and their handlers will be on site to talk about how canines assist veterans!
Don’t let your ALA Junior member miss out on this opportunity. Register for one of the five national Junior meetings today! The events are held at the same time and in the same city as Mission Trainings, so while Mom or Grandma attends a Mission Training, their granddaughter can go to the national Junior meeting.
Register now!
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National Buddy Check Week is Oct. 16-20. This national campaign, part of the Strong Veterans Act of 2022, builds on the success of The American Legion’s Buddy Check program and the Veteran Wellness Alliance’s Get Involved program.
We encourage veterans and Legion Family members to get involved!
- Take the Pledge to Talk to 10
- Reach out to your veteran friends.
- Know How to Help
- If you think your buddy could use some help, tell them about the resources available.
- 1-800-MyVA411 (1-800-698-2411) is always the right number to call and a great place to get started with VA.
- Veterans Crisis Line is available 24/7. Dial 988 then Press 1, Chat Online, or Text 838255.
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Print the VA Welcome Kit to learn more about what VA offers, how Auxiliary members can help, and how to get started.
More resources from the VA and The American Legion.
|  | Be the One: How Auxiliary members can help | |
Join us for a thought-provoking 60-minute webinar where you’ll have the opportunity to hear from The American Legion Family and ALA National President Lisa Williamson.
In this engaging conversation, we will delve into the crucial topics of today’s veterans, their mental health, the suicide epidemic, and how The American Legion Family is incorporating this into their collective missions. Gain insights into the challenges faced by veterans and the initiatives being undertaken to address their mental wellbeing. This webinar aims to shed light on the critical issue of veterans’ mental health and showcase the valuable work being done by The American Legion and its partners.
Join us Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. ET for this informative session and learn how you can contribute to the wellbeing of those who have served our nation.
Register now!
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You are invited to participate as a sponsor or volunteer | |
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Wreaths Across America Day is Dec. 16. On that day, more than 2 million wreaths will be placed on veterans’ graves across local, national, and military cemeteries, as well as veterans’ memorials and historic sites. We encourage members of The American Legion Family to participate.
American Legion Auxiliary and Wreaths Across America (WAA) have entered a partnership that supports both organizations’ common missions.
There are two ways you can take part in the day:
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Sponsor wreaths. Help us honor and remember as many fallen heroes as possible by sponsoring remembrance wreaths.
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Volunteer as a Sponsorship Group. ALA units can take part in the Wreaths Across America Sponsorship Group Program. Units that register as a “$5 back group” will earn $5 for every $17 sponsorship earned — allowing the donor to essentially “do good twice” and support both programs and missions. As a volunteer Sponsorship Group, you will be responsible for networking within your local community to gather wreath sponsorships. You will select at least one cemetery to support as a group, whether that’s Arlington National Cemetery or another cemetery in your state or within your local community.
Wreath sponsorships must be placed by Nov. 28 to be guaranteed for delivery.
‼️Important note: Poppy funds cannot be used for wreaths.
About Wreaths Across America: Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Columbia Falls, Maine, WAA is best known for its annual wreath-laying ceremonies each December. The organization’s yearlong mission is to Remember the fallen, Honor those who serve, and Teach the next generation the value of freedom. Now in nearly 4,000 communities nationwide, WAA volunteers are committed to sharing the mission through education and stories of service and success.
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Honor our nation’s heroes on Veterans Day | |
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Every day is Veterans Day for members of the ALA. But on Nov. 11, we put extra emphasis on honoring veterans and saying “Thank you for your service.”
Looking for ideas on how to get your community involved in Veterans Day events? Check out our blog for a list of things your unit can do.
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Consider distributing this ALA Halloween treat | It’s time to order or download your ALA Halloween 🎃 coloring books! These easy-to-use publications are a great way to spread awareness of the ALA and our important mission to families in your community while also giving Halloween treats to kids! | |
Thank you to our generous donors who give to the ALA’s scholarship funds so students like Hayden can continue their educational pursuits. To learn more or to donate to an ALA scholarship fund, visit www.ALAforVeterans.org/donate. | |
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Are you an ALA member and Vietnam veteran? Auxiliary magazine would love to hear from you. Please email us at ALAMagazine@ALAforVeterans.org. You could be featured in an upcoming issue of Auxiliary magazine.
American Legion Auxiliary 2024 dues are now available to pay. Renew your annual membership dues in three easy ways: by phone, online, or mail. Go to www.ALAforVeterans.org, call (317) 569-4570, or mail in your renewal notice.
Help us increase our following on Instagram. You may be familiar with our social media accounts on Facebook, but did you know we are on Instagram too? Join us for fun, unique, and mission-related content you won’t see anywhere else! Just search for @ALAforVeterans.
Need American Legion Family membership applications? We have two versions — color and black-and-white — available for download. We created the black-and-white version to be printer friendly from your home office. The traditional brochures are still available from your department.
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Request to join the official ALA program and 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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ALA Girls Nation Government Director Jane Thurston of Indiana has made an impact on hundreds of teens (close to 1,500 to be exact!) who have participated in ALA Girls Nation over the years. Add to that the thousands she impacted at ALA Hoosier Girls State. That effect could be seen at ALA Girls Nation 2023 when the senators honored Thurston with a memorial resolution on the final day of senate session. The resolution honored Thurston for her 15 years of volunteering with ALA Girls Nation and 30 years of service with ALA Hoosier Girls State. | |
American Legion Auxiliary members are continuously at work in their communities, demonstrating the compassion and heart we have for our veterans, military, and their families. Auxiliary members are always busy serving our mission. We know unit activities take time to plan, execute, and process. Because of that, we understand the need for better information and materials to be easily accessible. The ALA Program Engagement Plans give our members instructions and guides by incorporating local and national Auxiliary priorities. Learn more about the plans on the ALA blog. | |
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Oct. 13 – U.S. Navy birthday
Oct. 26 – National Day of the Deployed
Oct. 31 – Halloween
Nov. 4 – ALA Mission Training – Cincinnati, Ohio
Nov. 4 – ALA National Junior Meeting – Cincinnati, Ohio
Nov. 4 – ALA Mission Training – Providence, Rhode Island
Nov. 4 – ALA National Junior Meeting – Providence, Rhode Island
Nov. 7 – Election Day
Nov. 10 – American Legion Auxiliary’s 104th birthday
Nov. 10 – U.S. Marine Corps birthday
Nov. 11 – Veterans Day
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What’s your favorite way to stay connected to the ALA?
“Auxiliary magazine is an amazing resource! The articles are thorough, well-balanced, and incredibly professional. I always look forward to it arriving in the mail and use it as a resource to get the bigger picture of how we are living out our mission.”
— Jackie Regester Brauser, Wisconsin
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Operation HEAL*ARIOUS offering virtual laughs
The American Legion and the Best Medicine Brigade teamed up for the Operation HEAL*ARIOUS nationwide tour to find the funniest veterans and military-affiliated family members — and to promote the Legion’s Be the One mission.
Operation HEAL*ARIOUS kicked off a five-part virtual comedy series earlier this month that is open to members of The American Legion Family and general public. Register here to watch the remaining nights for free.
These sessions will be offered at 8 p.m. ET.
- Oct. 11: Problem Framing Through Humor. Led by Certified Humor Professional, Robin Johnson, and followed by a Best Medicine Brigade comedy performance.
- Oct. 18: How to be Funny. Joke Writing 101 will be followed by a Best Medicine Brigade comedy performance.
- Oct. 25: A Dose of Humor Please. A candid discussion on the challenge of adding humor in a risk averse culture. Comedians provide tips and techniques on enhancing your leadership and presentation skills with humor without getting sent to HR. Special guest: former SNL writer and Professor Frank Chindamo.
- Nov. 1: Comedy Bootcamp 101. Do you think you are funny? Do you wish you were more funny? This session provides tips on how to get started or to elevate your performance to the next level. Special guest: Comedian Kerri Louise (Last Comic Standing Finalist).
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Legion Family Merchandise
Show your support by buying from
American Legion Flag & Emblem Sales.
Shop now
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The American Legion Legislative Center
The ALA supports the legislative agenda of The American Legion.
Get involved.
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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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