New challenges pop up every month

November is Past Presidents Parley Month and the American Legion Auxiliary’s 104th  birthday. Record your activities with photos and a narrative. How are you honoring the past presidents in your unit? What are you doing for the Auxiliary Birthday?

Remember not to write on the page with the photos. When you are emailing them to your district chairmen, send either actual pictures with a caption or pictures need to be large and JPG files.

Also, no writing on the picture page that is emailed. The caption should be on a separate page (such   as a Microsoft Word file or in the body of the email itself).

Please know that shrinking photo sizes for email only makes them unprintable. Keep them large and perhaps send one or two images with captions per email message. You always can send a second or third email message if you have more photos to provide. Also, never send all your photos. Just select your best ones.

Adopt a student to help with the computer stuff if you don’t have anyone around to help. Then be sure to teach them about the American Legion Auxiliary: Who we are, what we do and why we matter! You just might eventually find their family loves our mission and just maybe you will grow your membership. Our passion for what we do shines brightly when we speak about our why. Participating in our mission is a wonderful way to honor the veteran in their family.

Ask and ye shall receive.

Department Poppy Chairman Marsha Bible has had some response to her request for veterans to make poppies from her article in the Legionnaire last month. Let’s get the word out and get some more veterans onboard.

Let us put Minnesota in the spotlight and keep our poppies veteran made. Contact the Department Office for more information. Remember also that your unit poppy orders are due by Nov. 28. Thank you to those that have expressed an interest in helping the Auxiliary with the need for poppy makers.

We could always use more veterans so ask those that are in our veteran homes and hospitals too!

I know the plan is in the works to have hands on instruction for our veterans that want to earn a little extra in their spare time. I am certain we can also arrange for auxiliary volunteers to show our hospitalized veterans that they can do this too.

Each month some new challenge or question presents itself, and I need to say thank you to those Auxiliary members who have been helping in different areas of our state with some of our challenges. They are deeply knowledgeable and do wonderful things with our units. I am looking forward to year end reporting to hear everything that is going on around our state.

Keep your Juniors and SAL active in your unit and post functions. They are our future. Does your unit need help to revitalize your membership? If we do not know, we can’t help. Contact your district president and just ask. We are here for you.

Sharon Cross of Bemidji Unit 14 is the president of the American Legion Auxiliary Department of Minnesota. Her theme is “Be The One to Dance Into the Hearts of Veterans.”