Mary Sebben has been a member of the American Legion Auxiliary for 15 years. With a father, husband, brother, sister, son, and two grandchildren who all served in the military, Mary has a strong connection to veterans, military, and their families, and a strong passion for serving them. “I just wanted to give back to
The Eastern Nebraska Veterans Home (ENVH) provides care, therapy, and residence to 120 veterans at a time. They go above and beyond for our nation’s heroes, ensuring that veterans with varying needs get the distinct and top-of-the-line treatment they deserve. One wing of the home treats up to 30 veterans with dementia. In summer 2019,
Veterans serve out of a love for their country. Military families make tremendous sacrifices on behalf of their beloved veteran. The American Legion Auxiliary Foundation exists to ensure that both are given the respect and assistance they deserve. That’s why Lynda Lancaster knew supporting the ALA Foundation with a planned gift was a great way
From a young age, Diane was inspired by her mother, who worked on a U.S. Army base. Diane knew that one day she wanted serve her country by enlisting in the military. “Going into the military was a dream come true, or so I thought,” Diane said. “Within a few weeks of arriving at
Olga Diupina just finished her first year studying government and international politics at George Mason University. Though she’s always had an interest in politics, she credits American Legion Auxiliary Girls Nation with solidifying her passion for this subject. “It’s a life-changing experience for a lot of girls,” Olga said, “where they can participate in the
Patrick Ward always thought of himself as an athlete. A fifth-generation U.S. Navy veteran, Patrick’s physical health was always very important to him. That’s why, when he sustained serious injuries while on active duty, Patrick struggled to be motivated in his everyday life. After 55 surgeries and an amputation, Patrick wasn’t sure what was next
Music was Matt Walker’s first love. At the age of 15, he knew it was a passion he wanted to pursue.“For all these years I thought that I would go out there, start doing music and make an album and someone would hand me a million dollars,” Matt said. “It wasn’t like that.”Realizing music
In the United States, women are underrepresented in government at all levels. In 2019, though women made up roughly 50% of the population, they held only 28.9% of state legislatures, and 23.7% of US Congress seats. Sadie Chamberlain, a 2019 American Legion Auxiliary Girls Nation senator, believes that programs like ALA Girls Nation could
In March 2019, a bomb cyclone hit Colorado Springs, Colo., and devastated The Crawford House, a veterans transitional housing center accommodating up to 13 veterans at a time.“I was called by one of my managers,” said Jerome Ford, U.S. Air Force veteran and program manager at The Crawford House.“Everybody was sheltered in place, so I
During his time in the U.S. Navy, John Wickstrom worked in nuclear power in the engine room of a cruiser, sometimes not seeing the sun for weeks on end.While aboard, nearly 60 years ago, John discovered that one of his fellow servicemembers was an amateur leather worker. During his down time, John grew extremely fond
