Auxiliary President – Sharon Pierson  

• NMSVH Resident’s Dinner night: December 4^th we were pleased to welcome 8 residents and 2 helpers from the veteran’s home for Wednesday night dinner. We extend a big “thank you” to Tuff Whitfield for performing “God Bless the USA” as a sing-a-long. Everyone got in on the fun, including a veteran or two in their wheel chairs!
• Junior Auxiliary Members: This year we have a wonderful group of Juniors who are meeting monthly on the 2^nd Sunday of the month at 6:30pm at the Post. Not only did they sign enough Christmas cards to put one in each Care Package – they also signed cards for the Veteran’s Home Christmas Party. Junior member Alexis Conklin prepared enough homemade hard candy to include in each of the 59 care packages sent out in December. The Juniors are working on their own “Chain of Accomplishments” and are brainstorming on ways they can raise enough money to attend Convention in June – Go Girls!!! We are so very proud of each of you!

Christie Conklin (pictured here at the far right) has graciously agreed to take on the Junior Activities Chairmanship and is doing an excellent job. Believe me, this is not an easy job when you consider these gals all have different schedules. So please, give Christie a “thank you” and “well done” next time you see her.

• Care Packages: As you all know, Care Packages to overseas troops has been an ongoing project for our Unit since 2003, a project initiated by Marty Novak, past Unit 44 Chaplain and Liz Nellis, past Unit 44 President. This project has become well known throughout our community and many different persons (not all Unit/Post members) show up on the 2^nd Wednesday of each month to aid in the preparation and shipping of these packages. Post 44’s Legionnaire Charity Committee donates the postage and more each month, and other persons/businesses in our community contribute goods and/or funds to keep this project going. We have mailed more than 7,200 packages since inception and have received countless letters, thank you cards, notes and emails in return, expressing gratitude. Not only for giving “a little touch of home” to those so far away from home, but for showing our patriotism and support.

This past month we have received two US flags (both flown over Afghanistan in our honor on November 11^th – Veteran’s Day) with Certificates of Appreciation, from 2 different care package recipients and their units. Additionally, we have received a Certificate of Appreciation to “American Legion Auxiliary Unit 44” from Air Force Central – signed by Lt. General J.W. Hesterman III, Brigadier General D. Fountain and Colonel B.C. Morrow, for our outstanding support of the Combined Air and Space Operation Center; Al Udeid Air Base. Ladies, this certificate arrived in an envelope addressed to “Angels on the Homefront”. I could not be more proud of our unit than I am, and I hope you feel the same.

One more thing to be very proud of is the email we received from 1^st Lt. USAF Sean Christy, stationed at Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan, on December 19^th thanking us for our Care Packages and “making things a little easier”. Lt. Christy included a video attachment of his entire unit (47 members) wishing us a “Merry Christmas”. We’ve posted the video on both the Auxiliary and Post facebook pages, please take the time to view it. Continue reading →

      Auxiliary President – Sharon Pierson  

• Open House at Martha’s Gifts: On Friday, November 1^st Martha’s Gifts hosted an open house and invited Unit 44 to set up a table to raise funds for our Care Packages. We handed out membership applications and informed people about our care package program. There was live music and two of Marty Novak’s grandchildren, Sam & Caity Carlton sang and played guitar with the group. Sam is a member of the SAL and Caity is a Unit 44 member. Martha’s has invited us to return during the Old Fashioned Christmas in TorC on Friday December 13^th.
• Potato Bar & Cake Walk: Sunday, November 3^rd, we held a Potato Bar/Cake walk fundraiser and made $140 on the potato bar and $70 on the cake walk. Many thanks to Bill Nenno for stepping up and “auctioning off” the remaining cakes. Half of the money raised will go to the Post “Building Fund”.
• NMSVH Resident’s Dinner night: November 6^th we welcomed 8 residents and 2 helpers from the veteran’s home for Wednesday night dinner. Our kitchen manager, K.T., was kind enough to pre-cut the wonderful pork chops she served that night for the residents and Sandi Harrison, Laverne Baker and Linda Ross helped with logistics and keeping our visitors served and happy. Thanks everyone – the veterans appeared to have a wonderful time.
• Annual NMSVH Car Show Bake Sale/Poppy Distribution: November 9^th we had an amazing turnout for this annual event, both in the amount of baked goods provided by members of Unit 44 and the VFW Auxiliary and the funds we raised. The baked items covered more than 4 six foot tables with many duplicate items held in reserve till needed. Joyce Hudgens saw to it that we sold every single item, down to the very last cookie and slice of cake. The bake sale raised $789.50 for the Veteran’s home and Poppy Distribution raised $400. Junior Auxiliary members, ROTC and Girls Scouts got involved with the Poppy Distribution this year and what a sight they were – congratulations everyone!
• Veteran’s Day: Bright and early Monday morning Sandy Squier, Mary Seeley, Sandi Harrison and Lavern Baker were at the Elementary Schools to present each student with a small American Flag. Later that morning Post 44 and Unit 44 members were at the NMSVH ceremonies to post the colors. Unit members also handed out Poppies at the ceremonies so that nearly every person there wore a Poppy.
• Oak Street Veteran Program:  Friday, November 22^nd, Unit members carried several large bags of clothing, shoes, sheets, towels and personal care items to Oak Street where Linda Nenno presented the residents with a $100 check. These funds came from Poppy distributions and were designated to be used on the community van which is the major source of transportation for the veterans living there. Many thanks to Eva Baca and Sheila Pickett for not only transporting several of the bags of items to Oak Street but also for agreeing to take on the responsibility of putting together the “Buddy Baskets” and delivering them to Oak Street when needed.
• Pies for VFW Thanksgiving Dinner – Each year Unit 44 has helped provide desserts for the Thanksgiving Dinner the VFW provides for veterans and residents of NMSVH. This year they requested “30” Pumpkin and/or Pecan pies! Sierra Sam’s RV Park (via Linda Ross) donated the funds for 20 Pumpkin pies from Bullocks and Auxiliary members are baking the balance. Thank you ladies for the hard work; this was a really big job. Special thanks to Linda Ross for obtaining funding so many pies and Kathy Norton for carrying all 30 pies to the VFW.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

• Luminaria – Well here we are again, asking for members to bake mini pecan pie muffins to be handed out at the Luminaria on December 14^th. The Post will be providing Sloppy Joe sliders, the Riders will be preparing hot chocolate and it is up to the Auxiliary to provide the little muffins. This recipe is simple (only 5 ingredients) and easy to make so please help if you can. Anyone wanting the recipe can contact Linda Nenno or Sharon Pierson.
• Cookies, Cookies, Cookies!! – Once again we are asking for all the help we can get baking for our Care Packages, our NMSVH residents and for the trays of goodies we send out to the schools, Post Office, newspapers and various other individuals to thank them for all they’ve done this past year. This is the season of joy, giving and sharing so please bake a batch or two of cookies, brownies, fudge, mini spice loaves or whatever you’d like to give. We’ll be packing Care Packages for our troops on the 2^nd Wednesday (December 11^th) at 11:00am, and gathering at the Post at 11:00am on December 18^th to put the trays together so we can deliver them that afternoon and the next morning. Any and all are welcome to join us. We have a lot of fun in our Holiday gear, singing carols as we work and enjoying each other’s company. We’d love to have you join us.
• NMSVH Residents for dinner – We will be welcoming NMSVH residents to dinner again on December 4^th (the first Wednesday of the month). Since the first Wednesday of the month in January is on New Year’s Day we have moved the date to the second Wednesday, January 8^th. Please stop by and welcome these special visitors and thank them for their service.
• BUNCO – For the month of December we are dropping the BUNCO entry price to $5.00!!!!!!! So come on out and join us for 4 hours of fun, food and $2 Margaritas. We’ll be playing, as always, on the second Thursday of the month, December 12^th, from 1-5pm.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING AND MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

 Auxiliary Membership Report-Linda Nenno

Thank you to those who have renewed for 2014. The dues are still $30/year, and help us continue the programs that serve Veterans and their families.  Membership is our most important program, since without members, we cease to exist.  Tell your non-member friends about us, what we do and encourage them to join if they are eligible.  Carry a membership application in your purse.  You, as a member, know we have some really good things going on at the Post, and we always have a lot of fun, so spread the word.  As of November 20, we have 320 paid members, which puts us at 79% of our final goal.  Remember, door cards change January 1, 2014 and you will not be able to get a new one without a 2014 card.  Please keep those renewals and new members coming.  We’re doing great so far and are leading the units in our District. Continue reading →