The American Legion Auxiliary Department of New York, Inc. October 2017

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1 The American Legion Auxiliary Department of New York, Inc. October 2017 Department Presidents Message. Patricia M. Hennessy What a beginning! From our State Convention in Syracuse, to National in Reno, Fall Conferences and now the American Legion Family Visitations have been busy but exciting. I love seeing old friends and, of course, meeting new. The Department of New York has the honor of having several of our members elected to National offices. Karyn Porempski is the Eastern Division National Vice President and Delaney Oliver was elected to serve as the Honorary Eastern Division Junior Vice President. Congratulations to Karyn and Delaney. We also have several members serving on National Committees! ALA Girls Nation Carrie Davenport National Vice Chairman ALA Foundation Cathleen MacInnes Foundation Secretary and Terri Wallace Elected Director Americanism Sandy Seacat Eastern Division Chairman Junior Activities Dara Oliver Eastern Division Chairman National Security Mary Anne Casadei Committee Member and Carol Hassett Eastern Division Chairman Public Relations Deborah Kryczkowski Eastern Division Chairman Awards from National Convention: Congratulations to all! Americanism Americanism Essay Contest, Class IV Ryan Miller Albany County. Children and Youth - Best Overall Children and Youth Program in the Eastern Division Linda Tome. Children and Youth Unit Award Most Outstanding program promoting Star Spangled Kids Eastern Division Mohican Unit #983. Education Honoring the Service of Our Military Award Harold W. Townsend Unit #1757. Leadership Nurturing Good Will Department Award Eastern Division Susan Britton. Leadership Unit Leadership Award Eastern Division Caroline Farnsworth. Membership Best Member Experience $100 Eastern Division Throggs Neck Memorial Unit #1456. Membership Recruit 10 - $250 Eastern Division Deborah Zicari Unit #529. National Security Most outstanding overall National Security Program Eastern Division Penny Walsh. Past President Parley Department Unit Member of the Year Patricia Tropea, Unit #1282 honored at luncheon at National Convention. Poppy Most Outstanding overall Poppy Program Eastern Division Donna Riley. Poppy Poster Eastern Division class VII Special Education Cody O Dell. Poppy - Unit Award Eastern Division Christine Snyder Unit 465. Public Relations Most Outstanding Overall Public Relations Eastern Division Dawn Grant. Public Relations ALA Brand Ambassador showcasing ALA s unique branding through visual identity Dara Oliver Unit VA&R Most Outstanding Overall VA&R Program Eastern Division Marie Mock. Remember our Program Chairmen need to hear from you. Whatever you, your Unit or your County does, we want to hear from you! Your stories, hours and activities are important. I look forward to seeing you all! Page 1

2 Membership...Marie C. Mock, Chairman We are now fully into our ALA 2018 membership year and we should be seeing many more membership forms being sent in. This is a good time to focus on our renewals as people are ready and excited for our new leaders and our great programs. Our 2017 membership year is not over so we should also be sure that we remember to look for our 2017 members that have forgotten to pay. Our Eastern Division Membership Chairman Paulette Caron has reminded us that, We are asking that each Department please promote the incentive for October- No Goose Egg Units. This is $1,000 for each Department that has at least one member per Unit into National by October 31, I have confidence that each Department can obtain this goal and receive $1,000!!! Please also promote the PUFL - "Paid Up for Life" membership. What a great way for a member to ensure their "WHY" is for life!! These are worthy goals, and I m sure we can do both. We have some work to do to get to the No Goose Egg Units, but I know we can get to 100% this year and make President Pat proud. I would also like to hear about your special projects for membership. The numbers are good, but the stories are really interesting, and I will share them to inspire others to try their own versions. You do such good work. Be sure you get the credit. If I send you an "Interest Form" for a possible new member, please follow up on it, and let me know how it goes. These are people who have expressed an interest so they are ready to be brought into our group. Let s make sure they hear from us. If you are not getting our weekly membership statistics, you can check the Department website. Also, let's remember those Legion Family Members who are suffering so much due to the recent and anticipated hurricanes. Let's reach out to them by donating to the Auxiliary Emergency Fund Membership cards were distributed at Department Convention in July If your unit did not receive them, please contact your County President or County Membership Chairman. VA and R/Service to Veterans..Linda S. Tome, Chairman Service to Veterans What is it... really?? I ve had several people ask me this question! So here goes: Service to Veterans volunteers are ALA members who provide service to veterans outside a Veterans Administration Medical Center (VAMC). Whether organizing a stand down, assembling care packages/tray favors/greeting cards, assisting with a veteran s burial or gravesite upkeep, sewing, cooking, or shopping for active-duty military/veterans and/or their families, member volunteers are at the heart of the Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Program structure. I think that most of us are doing all of these things... because that s what we do! Here are some additional opportunities to support Service to Veterans: Visit with veterans, and remember them on special occasions. Offer to drive veterans to doctor appointments. Offer to stay with a veteran while his/her primary caregiver goes shopping or out for a break. Take a veteran for a Sunday drive, picnic, or maybe to see one of his/ her friends. Treat veterans to tickets for sporting events or movies. Transitional housing programs have many needs. Secure donations for staple items such as laundry soap, cleaning supplies, kitchen items, new undergarments, etc. Donate a membership to The American Legion. Arrange an outing to a Legion meeting for special events such as a Veterans Day dinner, memorial service, etc. Furnish a room in transitional housing programs as a special project. Help furnish new living space for a veteran graduating from a transitional housing program. This might include the veteran and his/her family. School supplies for children or meals might be extra touches. Hours can also be earned through work done in your home for the benefit of homebound, sick or injured service members and veterans. These activities might include sewing, mending, and/or babysitting while the Veteran attends medical appointments or rehab sessions, or making quilts or knitting for hospitalized or homeless veterans. Anything done directly for a veteran outside of a VAMC is considered Service to Veterans. Providing these services to a member of the volunteer s family or a relative cannot be counted. These hours can be counted only once and not reported again under another committee such as National Security or Community Service. If you are unsure which committee your hours belong to, just pick the one that makes the most sense. The most important Page 2

3 thing is that hours are counted only one time!! Do NOT report your activities through several committees! As a Service to Veterans volunteer, you still need to report your hours!! Send your hours to the Unit Chairman; she will report to the County Chairman and in turn, she will report to the Department VA&R Chairman -- ME! These hours are added to the running total of impact hours that the ALA donates to servicemembers, veterans and their families each year. We are able to show what a huge impact we have on the lives of our veterans and it give ALA National HQ the tools to tell an impressive story to the National media! So... REPORT!!! If you still have questions, please don t hesitate to send me an or give me a call! Children and Youth....Mary E. Farley, Chairman Summer is over and Fall is here. Back to School. So now is a wonderful time to start thinking about our Children and Youth! Begin by focusing on the safety of our kids - start promoting child safety. Host a Halloween Safety Night at your local post. Invite your local police department, political leaders and, of course, the children and their families. Distribute Halloween Coloring Books from Emblem Sales and especially some Halloween treats. November brings Thanksgiving, a time for families to get together and celebrate. This time of year many families might be having a hard time, some might be missing their loved ones who have been deployed, so why not think of reaching out to these families in your communities. Remember that National Family Week is November 19-25, December is every child s favorite month: Christmas!! But some children might not have such a great Christmas. We cannot let that happen. Think about the boys and girls spending the holidays in the hospital or homeless shelters, remember the kids who are missing their mothers and fathers on our military bases. Start planning parties and collecting toys and clothing and put big smiles on the faces of our children. Remember to take pictures and send them to me with your reports, I look forward to reading them all. Americanism..Sharon Beeke, Chairman My first order of business is to correct an error in the Plan of Action Book. The correct theme this year for the Americanism Essay Contest is... What can we personally do to promote Americanism in my school or community? I did not have the current theme when the Plan of Action was published and I apologize for the error. I would like to promote the Americanism Essay Contest this year. We need to get out and teach our school children the true meaning of Americanism. Nowadays we see so much turmoil in our country and people not acting as true Americans. By visiting our schools to promote the essay contest we will be instilling great American values in our children that will be carried on with them for life. Please consider visiting your schools, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and don t forget your church youth groups to promote this program. Another way to promote Americanism is to visit schools before Veteran s Day with a veteran and have the veteran tell his or her story about serving in the military and the pride that they felt serving our country. This can also be done on Memorial Day and Flag Day too! Please fly your American Flag proudly, wear a flag pin or flag jewelry, sponsor a Flag Disposal Ceremony in your community. Any way you can promote Americanism is valuable to our communities. We need to get back that feeling of pride in our country again! God Bless America! ALA College....Diane Craig Simon says! Mark your calendars for June 1, 2, 3, 2018 to attend the American Legion Family College. Again for 2018, college will be held in Morrisville, NY and be a combination of Legionnaires, Auxiliary, SALS and Riders. The inaugural American Legion Family College in 2017 was a success and plans are to continue improving each year. President Pat and Commander Rena are excited to see the improvements this year as the groups work together to teach Page 3

4 and mentor members of all ages. Membership length does not matter if you are a brand new member or if you a fairly seasoned member, there is always something more and new to learn! There are no members too old too new.. or too ill-advised to attend. You are all eligible if you are a paid up member in good standing, and there is even help with your luggage In 2017, 97 students attended the Family College. Max capacity is 100. Curriculum and details are still in the planning stages, but, I assure you, you will not be disappointed and will walk away with more knowledge than you thought was possible! Subject matter has no limit.there are courses that cover the Auxiliary, as well as the Legion. There are scholarships available to help with your tuition, which is $225. This covers your room and board..and the food is awesome! Start your savings now or fundraising or whatever it takes to spend 3 days of your life learning even more ways that we can help and support our military, their families, our veterans and communities. Isn t that what we are here for? Hope to see you there! nyalacollege@gmail.com ALA Empire Girls State...Lucille Mozzillo,Chairman. Donna Dorminey and Jennifer Farley, Vice Chairman We are excited about yet another great year for the Empire Girls State program. The 2017 session was filled with many amazing young ladies and we are already working hard preparing for the 2018 citizens to arrive! Please note a few important details for the program: Dates: July 1 7, 2018 Tuition: $ plus $25 nonrefundable application fee by citizen s family There is a lot of great information in the Plan of Action! Please! Please! PLEASE! Read it carefully!!! In addition to all of the great information, there are applications to join the awesome Empire Girls State team!! Please review the job descriptions and requirements and see if it s something you might enjoy doing! Applications are due January 1, 2018 so that we can begin to look through them and select our staff! It s such a rewarding experience and we know that if you join us one year, you too will catch the girls state bug like each of us have! Don t forget to review your county quotas! This information is in the plan of action and requires your county s immediate attention! The Quota form needs to be returned to Donna Dorminey, EGS 1 st Vice Chairman so that plans can be made to accommodate each and every county! Please be on the lookout for your packets with all of the applications and county and unit instructions sometime between the middle to end of October. There have been a few questions raised about district orientations this year. We plan to continue with an orientation program, but at the moment we are still working out the details. We are trying to make it a little more convenient and easier for all. Happy Planning and let us know if we can help in any way! Auxiliary Emergency Fund (AEF) Janice Lee, Chairman Established in 1969, the Auxiliary Emergency Fund (AEF) was created to provide temporary financial assistance to eligible members of the American Legion Auxiliary (ALA). The AEF supports members who face a financial crisis as a result of natural disasters or a personal crisis. If eligible, grants are funded up to $2,400. As of August 8, 2017, the National AEF collected donations totaling $183, and provided grants to members totaling $25,000. Given the recent catastrophic natural disasters, including Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma, people are facing dangerous conditions with limited power, food, and shelter. Now more than ever, we call upon our members and their units to contribute to the AEF so that we can support our members in the South. Any contribution, big or small, will assist our members with making it through this difficult time. To recognize your support and contribution, you will receive an AEF Certificate of Appreciation. Those who contribute $50 or greater will receive a special AEF pin. Page 4

5 To find out more about the AEF, please visit our website at If you or a fellow ALA member is in need, complete the necessary forms available on or call the department office at (518) or 1(800) Chaplain...Nancy Babis, Chairman Greetings to all. We are coming up on a very busy time of the year. Thank you to all who have sent notices so far this year. Please continue to send your notices of members passing so I can keep an accurate list. The first reporting period is November 1, Please, County Chaplains send your reports promptly so I can prepare my report for December executive meeting. A few rules for you to follow: 1). Pray every day. 2). Love those you live with. 3). Do what needs to be done. 4). Leave the results up to God. Prayer: Almighty God, we pray for peace among all people on our earth. Give us the strength to be compassionate and caring for those people who need our care and understanding. Guide us in our service to God and country, as an organization and as individuals that we may make a difference in the lives of our children and youth, our veterans and our members. We ask you to bless the organizers, veteran participants and the volunteers at the National Creative Arts Festival. May your love and creativity work to help our Veterans heal their wounds and share their story. Constitution and By-Laws.Joan E. Caccamo, Chairman The Constitution and By-Law program informs and educates members of the American Legion Auxiliary on the importance and power of properly written, reviewed and updated documents, policies and procedures at all levels. Constitution and By-Laws are the basis for governance of your department, district, county and unit. The Constitution and By-Law program informs and educates members of the American Legion Auxiliary on the importance and power of properly written, reviewed and updated documents, policies and procedures at all levels. Constitution and By-Laws are the basis for governance of your department, district, county and unit. Preparing and adhering to updated Constitution and By-Laws and Standing Rules will ensure a more successful organizational process, and provide the structure to follow at all levels of our organization. Guidelines for the Constitution and By-Laws: a. Are the foundation of the organization b. Contain the most essential provisions relating to the organization, its name, purpose, membership, officers, meetings, governing board, committees, parliamentarian authority and amendments to prescribe structure changes c. Are the laws of the organization should be reviewed, but not changes, every year have direct bearing on the rights of members d. Should have a standard form and content e. Define the primary characteristics of the organization f. Prescribe how the organization is structured and functions g. Include all rules that are so important that they cannot be changed without prior notice Guidelines for Standing Rules: a. Relate to the details of administration for the organization b. May be adopted by a majority vote may be amended or rescinded at any regularly scheduled meeting with prior notification, by a majority vote, unless the by-laws stipulate otherwise, without prior notification by a two-thirds vote As our Auxiliary year has begun we have all learned that there will be a dues increase beginning with the 2019 Auxiliary year. Senior dues will be increased by $3.00 and Junior dues will be increased by $1.25. What does this mean to us in the Department of New York, besides paying more for your dues? It means it is NOW time to review our Constitution and By-Laws and begin the process of updating them. Please do not wait to the last minute. Keep in mind that this should all be taken care of before you fill out the card stating the dues for my Unit for the 2019 Auxiliary year is.. Page 5

6 When you are ready to submit your new Constitution and By-Laws for review/approval from the Department please make sure that you do the following: a. Send two (2) copies of your proposed new Constitution and By-Laws (filled out completely). You can download the Constitution and By-Laws from the Department website ( b. Send the cover sheet (filled out completely). This cover sheet will also state WHO the By-Laws should be sent back to. You will find the cover sheet in the Plans of Action. c. Send a copy of your present Constitution and By-Laws As I stated earlier, please do not wait to update your Constitution and By-Laws. Also, remember that it should be free of errors, does not use white out, and the information you provide is legible. Resolutions Susan Britton, Chairman If you are considering proposing some type of change regarding the way something is done in the Department, a resolution will need to be presented for consideration. As long as the change does not impact the organization's Constitution and Bylaws, you only need to present a resolution for the change to be considered at Department convention. A resolution is just a "formal motion" in writing that includes the reasons that support the proposed action, and requires a majority vote of the assembly. Any Units wishing to propose a change should first submit a resolution to the County organization. Once the County has adopted the resolution, it is forwarded to the Department office where it is printed and included in the Department convention call. The deadline date for this submission will be noted with an official notice from the Department office at a later date. Resolutions are then first considered at a Resolutions Committee meeting held in convention city, consisting of the Department Resolutions Chairman and (1) representative from each of the Department's ten (10) Districts. This would be the meeting where one or more County representatives should argue the merits of the resolution. This will help to ensure passage. I am happy to assist with any questions or clarifications regarding resolutions. Education..Ellen Randle, Chairman Our Auxiliary year has begun and all over our State School has opened. This is the time to focus on many parts of our Education program. Please contact all of your Education Chairmen and urge them to begin to visit local schools and advise them of our goal of enhancing respect for our Veterans through visits and education. Be sure to wear Auxiliary apparel for your visits. Encourage everyone to start collecting Box Tops for Education and Labels for Education to donate to your schools. Also remember that November 13 17, 2017, is National Education Week. Send cards to teachers in your schools indicating how much they are appreciated. As it now the beginning of the school year, I know that many members donated school supplies including backpacks to various organizations. Please let me know what you did because I just know it was a lot! Finally, remember that it is never too early to start promoting scholarships at libraries, schools, town fairs and meetings, etc. Be sure to report your activities and feel free to call me with any questions. As I neglected to put my home phone number in the directory portion of the Plan of Action, it is Historian...Lori A. McFarland, Chairman Why is history important? Because it s a story worth telling. History helps us learn how we got here, and where we are going. It helps us understand and appreciate our successes and failures. It can help develop a sense of accomplishment and pride in your post. It will become a permanent record of the legacy of your post for future legionnaires and auxiliary. It can help recruit new members. Where to start? See what records the post/auxiliary has retained; minutes, documents, photographs, artifacts, rosters, etc. Talk to senior members. Use outside resources; local media, libraries and historical societies. Appeal to the community for information. Use online resources, archived newspapers, obituaries, etc. Page 6

7 What to include in the history? Who founded the post and when. Who are the charter members and early leaders? Who named the post and why. Who are notable members of the post or notable alumni from your programs? What significant events, projects, and unique/interesting activities. What makes your post special or unique? So get organized start now, create a centennial committee and post on the legions centennial web page, plan a community celebration for the accomplishments the legion/auxiliary has done, share your history. Final thought. The history of The American Legion/Auxiliary is not just a one story of a national organization, but rather 1,000s of stories in communities across the country served by individual posts. Junior Activities....Cheryl Kollander, Chairman I am looking forward to hearing what all of our wonderful Juniors are doing this year. At the National convention, they stressed to do a narrative with what, who, why, when and where not just statistics. In other words, tell your Junior's story. Please make sure as junior chairman on district, county and unit level that you have a copy of Junior activities from the Department POA. All report forms, awards and programs are there to help guide you. I would like to congratulate New York's own Delaney Enya for being elected as Eastern Division Honorary Junior Vice President. Please feel free to contact me with any questions. Leadership Karen St. Hiliare, Chairman The American Legion Auxiliary offers a wide variety of opportunities for members to serve in Leadership roles. These roles can range from chairing a short-term community project at a unit level, to running for office at Unit, Department or National level. The National website alaforveterans.org offers a multitude of brochures and power point presentations to enhance your leadership skills. The ALA Academy was unveiled this past spring. Auxiliary members can enroll in these free online courses on the national website listed above. Courses will include subjects such as, history of the ALA, how to use social media and soon to be released how to handle conflicts. You can take these courses at your own pace, in the comfort of your home. Even if you don t aspire to run for offices in the organization, the information included on National and Department websites will enhance your understanding of our organizations mission. Remember to share your knowledge with other members. Eastern Division Junior Mission Training will be held in Hartford, Connecticut on October 21, Senior Mission training will be also being held at same time and place. You must enroll on national website before October Mark your calendars Mid-Winter conference January 20-21, 2018, more information will follow. Legislative....Amy McEathron, Chairman I am so honored to serve as legislative chair. If I can have ALL chairmen please me your address so that I can forward the Department of New York Legislative Agenda on a weekly basis. My department is nyalalegislative@gmail.com Thank You As we are near the centennial of the founding of the American Legion, the Department of NY Legion Family of more than 200,000 members continues to support our Veterans. This year s Agenda includes new proposals and a few previously offered through resolution that legionnaires believe will provide vital help to returning service members and improve the quality of life for our veterans and their families. During the coming year, our Department of New York will champion these resolutions and proposals respectfully and affirmatively seeking support from our state legislators reminding them of WHY and FOR whom we want specific legislation enacted. I am here to pass all information onto all, so if anyone would like the 2017 Legislative Agenda on a weekly basis, please just me at the address above and I will be happy to pass it onto you. Page 7

8 Please refer to the Plan of Action for all the information you need to get involved and continue the Legion Family Legislative Action. Our great state of New York can make a difference, but we need you to advocate to your local legislation. National Security.Cecile Davey, Chairman The National Security Program is to maintain and promote a strong national defense by strengthening and supporting military service members and their families. The American Legion Auxiliary National Organization has transformed into a five-year plan ( ) with Annual Supplements to be published each year that will contain any updates on committees plus reports and award deadlines. Anyone wishing to see the full Programs Action Plan may do so by registering onto the National website at You will find many suggestions in our own Plan of Action as to the ways that we as an organization can help to achieve the Goals of our five-year Action Plan. Please remember that 100% reporting is critical for the success of the National Security Program and also that this year your reporting volunteer hours are $24.14 per hour to be submitted on your reports. Past President s Parley..Deborah Kryczkowski, Chairman Our focus for all chairmen of the Past Presidents Parley as former leaders has been and will always will be our responsibilities to our members. First how do we distinguish a new member from a renewal? It could be anyone that attends your meetings or volunteers at an event for the first time. For example: I read your American Legion Family newsletter, saw the event calendar, so I decided to attend tonight s meeting. When I walked in, I had no idea what to do, where to sit, what to expect, I didn t know anyone. Why are these ladies staring at me and whispering? Please someone say something to me. But, just as I was about to walk back out, this lady walks over and introduces herself. Her name is Betty and she is a past unit president, Betty is so sweet and asked me to come sit by her, now I feel welcomed, and much more comfortable. Before we sit Betty also introduces me to the president of the unit. The meeting opens and I follow along with the agenda that Betty gave me, which was very helpful to me. I don t like just sitting and not being able to participate or ask questions. The Unit president introduces me as a new member; I stood up and thanked everyone. But I also explained I m not a new member, I ve been a member for over 5 years I just haven t been able to attend any meetings. I m happy to say my home life has changed to the point I have time to get involved. I want to thank your past unit president Betty for making me feel so welcomed and I plan on returning and I would like get more involved. I would like to ask if past president Betty could mentor me it would helpful for me to understand the programs we have. Past Presidents need to take this initiative introduce yourselves and mentor members, let s make them all feel welcome. We need treat everyone with respect while meeting is being conducted and every day? Ask your members to share an experience they have had or accept new ideas they may offer. As former leaders, past presidents at all levels are encouraged to continue their support to the organization by accepting responsibility to contribute their experience, knowledge and wisdom. As ambassadors for the organization, there is much information to share in achieving a stronger organization, at each level, by sustaining growth through positive actions. Past Presidents Parley dues are $4.00. Please submit it as soon as possible. Poppy...Vivian Brame Gerdner, Chairman The poppy program is underway once again. Our Poppy Supervisors and Poppy Makers have been hard at work and are ready to fill orders. We have attempted to make things a little easier this year. First, you may order any quantity that you need for your unit. Send your order form with your check for the correct amount, made out to ALA, Department of New York. The poppy order form will then go to the poppy supervisors to be filed and mailed to you. Don't forget that poppies can be distributed all year long. Members of your units must get out in the public eye and ask for contributions. Try your local grocery store or restaurants and see if they will let you promote Poppy donations in their establishments. Page 8

9 Start preparing your Poppy Poster programs. Please go to the schools and establish a relationship, so that you may present programs to the students about the history of the Poppy and the meaning for remembrance. Poppy cans can be left at local business year long for collection with their permission. Don't be shy. Get out there and ask for contributions, otherwise people will pass by and have no idea how much their contribution can make a difference to a veteran, their children or to a military family in need. Public Relations.Michelle LeJeune, Chairman For my first newsletter, I d like to emphasize the Public Relations centennial Strategic Plan by promoting; who we are, what we do, and why we matter. Making ourselves appealing to potential members who can recognize our common goal of helping veterans, service members and their families. Remember we must promote ourselves and there is a variety of methods of getting the word out; utilize your unit, county newsletters, local newspapers, TV, Radio, and Social Media. Reach out to Veterans, their families and local Communities. Possibly host a meet n greet inviting everyone in your community to visit your unit. Showcase posters, pamphlets, the Auxiliary Magazine and have membership applications on hand. Be prepared to answer when asked who the Auxiliary is, what we do and why we matter. Always extend an invitation to a meeting to a potential member. There is also the American Legion Auxiliary 2017 Media Kit on the national web site full of ideas. Mid-winter conference January 19 th to the 21 st is not far away and this year I d like to see a wall of many colors with the entries for the Public Relations Poster contest. Using the theme Serving Our Veterans and Their families I d like to see the space provided for this contest filled with posters. They can be anywhere of size between 81/8 x 11 up to poster size of 22 x28, the larger the better! Fill them with lots of color use the American Flag, the Legion Family emblems, Poppies and colors of Red, White, & Blue. Add photos, graphics and titles, be bold and grab the attention of the Auxiliary members. Explain what the event is, where it was held, who attended and showcase our auxiliary helping Veterans and their families. Posters must be turned in by 7pm on Friday night the 19 th and winners will be announced Saturday morning at the conference. Play it up ladies have fun with this project! Reminder: it s a new reporting year and reports are due 1 November 2017, 1 March 2018, and 1 May Unit public relations chair be sure to report to your county public relations chairperson and county public relations chairperson be sure to report to me, your Department Public relations Chairperson, Michelle M Le Jeune mail: 5 Main Street, PO Box 412, Philadelphia, NY cell: to shelejeune@icloud.com or nyalapublicrelations@gmail.com Warrior Family Assistance. Mary Anne Casadei, Chairman Well we are off and running! I hope everyone read all the information included in the POA. The revised Guidelines for this program will be sent out as a bulletin to all County Presidents to pass on to the Unit Presidents. Also, the revised brochure will be available soon so you can contact our Department office to receive them. It is our hope that all units and counties in our Department have appointed a WFA Chairman, if not do so now. It is important to the success of this program that the information pertaining to this program is shared, shared and shared again. Contact your Post Service Officer and your County Veteran s Service Agency and tell them about this wonderful program. Ask to speak about our WFA Program at your Legion Post and County Meetings. It is our responsibility to get the information out into our communities. Please remember that the Auxiliary has the final say on weather a grant will be awarded. We accept recommendations but as with all American Legion Auxiliary programs, we have the final say. NEC Janet Mahoney As a new edition to the EMPIRE NEWS, President Pat is authorizing a NEC corner for updating and understanding the NEC position and the National Organization. First off many are asking what is the NEC and her roles, responsibilities and duties.my main role is to be the steward, protector and policy overseer and my responsibility is to address important issues and convey information. My duty is to support vital and approved national initiatives, act in the best interest of and financially support the national organization. Page 9

10 Important resolutions and motions passed at National Convention: A dues increase will take effect with the 2019 membership year. The National Senior dues increase by $3.00 to $12.00 per annum and National Junior dues increase by $1.25 to $2.50 per annum. ALA Code of Conduct Resolution passed. All members of the ALA are expected to adhere to the highest standards of Ethical Conduct which was adopted in 2013 and is in the standing rules; a Code of Conduct for inclusion with the ALA Code of Ethics will now be added to the National Standing Rules. Each state will now incorporate their written expectations into their Code of Conduct. More discussion on the Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct will be at the December Executive Meeting. Resolution passed to establish a statement of support with the American Legion Auxiliary and the American Legion for the construction of a national monument dedicated to Gold Star mothers and families in Washington D.C. without financial obligation. Resolution passed for the resourcing of Year 4 of the 5 Year Centennial Strategic Plan. The ALA with ratification from the NEC will proceed with the purchase of the building and property at 3450 Founders Road, Indianapolis. By buying the building for our National Headquarters, at the end of ten years we will own an asset that should increase in value rather than continue to lease. Parliamentarian..Ann Geer To function efficiently organizations must have two officers a president and a secretary. It is arguable which officer is most important. Many believe it is the secretary. The organization secretary should have a thorough knowledge of parliamentary procedure in order to record minutes accurately. A secretary should understand the types and ranking of motions (to be covered in a subsequent article). A secretary s duties entail much more than taking minutes at a meeting. The secretary must keep a record of committee reports and an up to date list of committee members. The secretary is responsible for maintaining the documents of the organization, including the bylaws, standing rules, minutes, and correspondence. Those documents must be kept up to date. The secretary notifies members of upcoming meetings. The secretary handles correspondence. The secretary may prepare an agenda, unless the president prefers to do it. She should provide the necessary information to the president to form the agenda. The secretary must know how to call the meeting to order. If the president and vice president are absent she must preside until a temporary chairman is appointed. The secretary informs members, committee chairmen, and officers of actions that must be taken following meetings as a result of motions and votes. The office of secretary is key to the success of any organization. In electing this officer, members should consider the qualifications of the person nominated. She should be knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Changes for the Plan of Action: PLEASE N0TE THE FOLLOWING CHANGES: Under District Presidents: Janice Lee remove ; Michelle LeJeune correct # is ; Cecile Davey add # ; Under District Vice Presidents: Lorna Silinovich change # to ; Lynda Spinks change # to ; Janet Elston address is 409 Jennings Road; Debra Hammon is blondedebi@msn.com; Maureen Morgan is rocklandgirl286@gmail.com Important information / dates to remember Bonding/Department Day Tax due November 1, 2017 from All Counties and please return the invoice you were sent with your payment. Each Unit Membership Chairman is responsible for notifying the Department Office when a member passes away so they can be removed from the roster. The $10.00 ALAMIS access renewal fee for 2018 will be billed in November and is due into Department Office by the end of December. ALA Mission Training Conference/National Junior Meeting will be held in Hartford, CT on Saturday, October 21, 2017 registration is on the National website (ALAforveterans.org)Mid-Winter will be held in the Albany Marriott on Friday, January 19 and Saturday, January 20, More details to follow. Department Convention will be held in Rochester, NY Thursday, July 19 through Saturday, July 21, National Convention will be held in Minneapolis, MN Friday, August 24 through Thursday, August 30, Page 10