auxiliary – Deanna Bonn

Government Day in Butler County

Through a cooperative effort by the Butler County Administration, American Legion Posts and Auxiliary Units in Butler County, students from schools throughout the county convened in front of the Butler County Courthouse on Tuesday, November 16th to learn about the various functions of our county government and where tax dollars are invested.

Education is an important part of the mission of the American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary because a democracy depends largely on its people being informed.

The Government Day program is geared towards informing high school students enrolled in Government classes within Butler County.

Commission Chairman Jeff Masterson welcomes students.

Greeted by County Commission Chairman Jeff Masterson, the students were told how the day would unfold. They divided into several groups and rotated through stations throughout the day.

Those stations were composed of the different administrative, executive and legal offices within Butler County.

Group chaperones included members of the American Legion.

Students sat in the Board of County Commissioners meeting located on the fourth floor of the historic courthouse and heard from the County Commissioners and GIS Mapping Department’s Director Pam Dunham. She shared an abbreviated history of Butler County with the students in addition to quizzing them on some well-known, and some obscure, facts of the largest county in Kansas.

Commissioners welcomed students and shared about the roles in county government.

Students learning fun facts about Butler County.

At another station, students heard from Butler County Clerk, Tatum Stafford and her office. Students who were of voting age and unregistered, were given the opportunity to register to vote.

Students learned about the voting process through a mock election.

Emergency Management Director, Keri Korthals shared why the need for emergency preparedness was the responsibility of all the people.

Butler County Emergency Management Director Keri Korthals speaks to students at her station.

And the Public Works Department was stationed in the parking lot and gave students an opportunity to learn what the department is responsible for as well as learning about the equipment they use on a daily basis.

Public Works equipment in the parking lot.

Students learned about the equipment used by the Public Works Department.

Students also visited the Judicial Building and the Butler County Detention Facility.

For lunch, the students were treated to hamburgers and hot dogs at the Butler County Community Building. The lunch was hosted by the American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary, and prepared by the Red Devil Chefs.

American Legion Auxiliary members hosted lunch.

Red Devil Chefs grilled hamburgers and hotdogs.

While there students heard from American Legion Post #81 Commander Steve Seymour, American Legion Auxiliary Unit #81 President Karen Hasting, District 5 Auxiliary President Tracy Kinnick and State of Kansas Department President Annette Scheaffer. Each of the American Legion and Auxiliary members spoke on the programs, like Government Day, provided by the organizations. One of the programs available to high school juniors is Boys and Girls State.

American Legion Boys State and American Legion Auxiliary Girls State are summer leadership and citizenship programs for high school juniors, which focus on exploring the mechanics of American government and politics.

Concluding the program, Representative Will Carpenter shared why he entered public service and encouraged each of the students to get involved in local government.

Celebrating Teachers

The American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) Unit #81 in El Dorado first delivered apples to teachers in February for Valentine’s Day but were only able to take them to the elementary schools due to the winter storm.

This past week they were able to finish their mission of delivering apples to all the teachers in the El Dorado school district when they took apples to El Dorado Middle School and El Dorado High School.

EHS Principal Bruce Lolling, center, with apples for the teachers from American Legion Auxiliary members Karen Hasting, left, and Virginia Ball, right.

“We know they have had a rough year, so we wanted to let them know that we appreciate them,” said Karen Hasting, member of the ALA Unit #81.

Margie Jordan and Kristy Bieberle hold the apples brought to EMS by American legion Auxiliary members Karen Hasting, left and Virginia Ball, right.

Each basket was filled with gala apples, one for every teacher at each school, and attached to each apple was a note that said “You are the apple of our eye.”

The ALA Unit meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 5:00 p.m. at the American Legion George Ball Bingo Hall in El Dorado. All members are encouraged to attend as well as those wishing to learn more about the organization.

The American Legion Auxiliary is an organization of male and female spouses, grandmothers, mothers, sisters, and direct and adopted female descendants of members of The American Legion. Some are also veterans.

American Legion Auxiliary

Afghan Fundraiser

The Captain Edgar Dale American Legion Auxiliary Unit #81 held a fundraiser raffle to benefit their veteran’s programs. The prize was a beautifully crocheted afghan made and donated by Donna Church.

The lucky recipient of the afghan was Wendy Michael.

Wendy Michael received the afghan donated by Donna Church.

“This project was created to help raise money for the Auxiliary to give to the veterans,” said Unit #81 Member, Karen Andersen.

The members of the American Legion Auxiliary participate in a variety of fundraising efforts that allow them to serve the local veteran population and their families. These programs directly and indirectly touch the lives of all Americans.

Local programs include the Poppy Program, Troop Care Packages, Christmas Gift Shops, Girl’s State, College Scholarships and many others.

“The American Legion Auxiliary is a patriotic service organization, with more that 900,000 members world-wide,” according to the national organization.

“With the philosophy of ‘Service, not Self’ the American Legion Auxiliary develops a strong spirit of volunteerism in its members who have joined together in the fellowship of giving to others,” according to the organization.

To learn more about the American Legion Auxiliary Unit #81 and its membership opportunities, please contact the Captain Edgar Dale Post #81 at (316) 321-3767 or visit the American Legion Auxiliary, Department of Kansas website at www.kslegionaux.org.

Hasting Pays it Forward

Karen Hasting, member of the Captain Edgar Dale American Legion Auxiliary Unit #81 in El Dorado, was the Department of Kansas American Legion Auxiliary President during the 2018-2019 year.

She decided to raise funds for Kansas Honor Flight as her year long legacy project.

Her efforts were noticed by others and she was nominated to receive the PAY IT FORWARD award from DeVaughn James Injury Lawyers together with FOX Kansas and My TV Wichita.

Hasting is being recognized for making a difference for veterans going on a Kansas Honor Flight. She will be spotlighted on December 16th on FOX Kansas 9pm news and receive $500.

She is paying it forward and giving that check to Kansas Honor Flight.

National Poppy Month Recognized in El Dorado

Opening the City Commission with public comments, Barbara Trent, American Legion Auxiliary Unit #81 member and Poppy Chairman presented information to the Commission on the work of the local Auxiliary Unit. However, her main goal was to share the mission of the American Legion Auxiliary Poppy Program celebrated each May.

Poppy Barb — American Legion Auxiliary Poppy Chairman Barbara Trent speaking before the City Commission.

According to the American Legion Auxiliary, “Connecting the visual image of the poppy with the sacrifice of service made by our veterans has been an important goal of the American Legion Auxiliary Poppy Program since its inception in 1921. On Memorial Day and Veterans Day, millions of red crepe paper poppies—all handmade by veterans as part of their therapeutic rehabilitation—are distributed across the country in exchange for donations that go directly to assist disabled and hospitalized veterans in our communities.”

This year, National Poppy Day is May 24, 2019. The red poppy is a nationally recognized symbol of sacrifice worn by Americans since World War I to honor those who served and died for our country in all wars. It reminds Americans of the sacrifices made by our veterans while protecting our freedoms. Wear a poppy to honor those who have worn our nation’s uniform.

After World War I, the poppy flourished in Europe. Scientists attributed the growth to soils in France and Belgium becoming enriched with lime from the rubble left by the war. From the dirt and mud grew a beautiful red poppy. The red poppy came to symbolize the blood shed during battle following the publication of the wartime poem “In Flanders Fields.” The poem was written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, M.D. while serving on the front lines.

On September 27, 1920, the poppy became the official flower of The American Legion family to memorialize the soldiers who fought and died during the war. In 1924, the distribution of poppies became a national program of The American Legion.

In El Dorado, the poppies will be handed out free of charge but donations will be accepted. All donations received will be used by The American Legion Family for their programs that support veterans, the military community and their families.

Mayor Vince Haines shared that he recently had the opportunity to visit Flanders Field then announced a proclamation naming May Poppy Month in El Dorado. Joining Barbara were other unit members President Carol Smith, Chaplain Lois Cool and Poppy Prince Tatum.