AMERICAN LEGION AUXILIARY JUNIORS
Something many people aren't aware of is junior auxiliary membership, available to daughters and granddaughters of qualifying veterans/legion members. What is the junior auxiliary about?
Junior Auxiliary membership is open to girls from infancy through age 17. The Junior Activities program prepares girls to become active adult members of the organization by providing positive volunteer experiences that instill the ideals of the Auxiliary.
The Junior Auxiliary, while part of the American Legion Auxiliary, holds their own monthly meetings, and are led/mentored by members of the American Legion Auxiliary. They contribute to supporting veterans and their families, as well as active-duty military and their families. It’s an opportunity for young girls and teens to show their support for their own family members who may be deployed.
ALA Junior Member Activities Include--
ALA Junior members volunteer with other girls in their age group in many engaging activities:
- Learning about patriotism and how to show respect for the American flag.
- Helping military families in practical ways such as mowing yards and helping military kids become acclimated at a new school.
- Distributing poppies and raising awareness, especially on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, so our veterans know we care about them.
- Practicing leadership by organizing service projects
- Earning service patches while learning about ALA programs
- Demonstrating responsibility for future scholarship, college, or military service applications.
For example, 3 years ago the Baden American Legion began distributing Christmas gift bags to veterans that are residents of personal care homes, assisted living, or nursing homes. This past December 2023, our post junior auxiliary members made patriotic night lights to go in the Christmas gift bags, these girls made over 200 of these night lights, similar to the one pictured below.
If you have a young girl in your family who would be interested in becoming a member of the junior auxiliary, please contact Jean Murray, President of the American Legion Auxiliary Unit # 641, at jeanmurray1989@yahoo.com. Or you can visit the American Legion Auxiliary Baden Unit # 641 Facebook page, at www.facebook.com/Baden641auxiliary/ and send us a message through our Facebook page.
A side benefit to being a junior auxiliary member are the scholarships that are open to the junior members.