by Mike Knaak
editor@thenewsleaders.com
When members of the American Legion Auxiliary in St. Joseph meet Tuesday, April 4, they will begin a once-in-a-hundred years project.
The members will begin planning events to mark the 100th anniversary of the American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary.
The Legion was formed following World War II in March 1919. The auxiliary formed a year later.
The centennial events to be planned this spring will take place in 2018 and early 2019, according to Rosie Court, the St. Joseph auxiliary president.
The group will meet at 6:30 p.m. at American Legion Post 328, 101 W. Minnesota St.
Court’s father, Matt, was an Army veteran of World War II, and she has been an auxiliary member for 19 years.
“The most important action is support for veterans for their service to our country, to let them know they are not alone,” Court said.
In addition to veterans, she said the group serves those who are on active duty as well as POW/MIA efforts and support for homeless and unemployed veterans.
“For the past fiscal year, we donated more than $4,500 to veteran’s programs and $1,000 to our community,” Court said in her report to the group’s members.
A key fundraising effort is the annual poppy program.
In April, the auxiliary begins distributing poppies in exchange for donations to local businesses. The poppy has been a symbol of the auxiliary since the 1920s. It symbolizes freedom and the blood sacrificed by troops and comes from the poem “In Flanders Fields.” The poem refers to the poppies that grew out of the newly dug soldiers’ graves during World War I.
The poppies are made by veterans including those at the St. Cloud VA Health Care System.
Last year, the group donated $500 from poppy sales to the VA for coats and T-shirts.
“We need to give them the same level of devotion as they gave to our country,” Court said. “We need to be there for them.”
The poppy is a nationally recognized symbol of sacrifice worn by Americans since World War I to honor those who served and died in all wars.
