The PIER Center in Long Beach, Calif., is a place made by veterans for veterans. PIER (Partnership in Effective Recovery) focuses on providing homeless veterans with basic needs so they can begin to rebuild their lives. The center hosts daily free lunches, provides access to showers and laundry facilities, and supports veterans through counseling. No
Jane Montaney of Ephrata, Wash., found out while visiting an American Legion Family conference with her husband in 1996 that her local American Legion Auxiliary unit was missing one member in order to make goal. That’s the day she signed up to join the American Legion Auxiliary.“I sent a note across the teller to the
Many U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs medical centers across the country incorporate the creative arts as one form of rehabilitative treatment to help veterans recover from and cope with physical and emotional disabilities. When Paula Sellens became the American Legion Auxiliary Kansas District Eight president in 2016, she made expanding these programs her focus. Her
During World War II, Helen Babb Boots was one of the first recruits in the Women’s Army Corps. Her brother was needed at home on the farm, and she felt that someone from her family should serve. After her service ended in 1945, Boots developed a passion for The American Legion Family. She was a
Most American Legion Auxiliary members know that the ALA Girls State and ALA Girls Nation programs provide incredible leadership development skills for high school girls across the country. But due to a lack of branding, some ALA Girls State participants will go through the program and never know who funded their opportunity to learn and
Active in her community of Fairfield Bay, Ark., Lois Lemke was a longtime volunteer and supporter of the American Legion Auxiliary. A retired accounting clerk, Lemke was married to Raymond Lemke, a veteran of World War II, who passed away in November 2002. The Lemkes had three sons, plus grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Lemke supported 14
Members of Palmer-Roberts American Legion Auxiliary Unit 214 have seen the lives of homeless veterans transformed at the Volunteers of America Veterans Resource Center in Cleveland. To make an additional impact, Unit 214 applied for an American Legion Auxiliary Foundation Veteran Projects Fund grant to transform the common room at the Veterans Resource Center, a
Paula Raney has spent almost 30 years volunteering with the American Legion Auxiliary. After all that time spent serving, Raney knows it is vital to give financially to the ALA’s mission in addition to volunteering. “It’s not difficult for me to balance between volunteering and giving,” Raney said. “I just do it because it’s the
The Pennyroyal Veterans Center in Hopkinsville, Ky., is no stranger to American Legion Auxiliary Fort Campbell Unit 233. The unit has been volunteering at the center each month since the facility opened its doors in 2012. Jane McKnight, a 26-year member of Unit 233, heard about the American Legion Auxiliary Foundation’s Veteran Projects Fund at
Sandy Seacat From volunteering at her American Legion Auxiliary unit’s veteran bingo night, to accepting a national appointment on the ALA National Security Committee, Sandy Seacat has run the gamut of service opportunities with the Auxiliary over her 28 years of membership. In addition to her volunteer service, Seacat became a monthly donor two years
