Training and Mentoring our Superhero Sidekicks to serve our Veterans Now and in the Future.
Preparations are underway for the 2023 – 2024 Department of Illinois ALA Juniors and young Sons Conference which will be held at the Best Western in Monticello, Illinois on April 13th and 14th 2024. Please consider joining us for this event and bring some juniors or young squadron members with you. Watch for hotel and registration details to be released in the December ALAToday. Conferences such as this can be costly, and our junior units do not have the level of funds that our Units, Posts, and Squadrons have with out fundraising. To off-set the cost of this event, we have set up an Amazon wish list to assist in gathering supplies for this event. Items on this list include craft supplies for service projects and patriotic story books to be raffled off for participants. A number of these books will also assist participants with completing requirements for the ALA Patch program. Items purchased from this list will be shipped directly to the Department Chairman so they can be taken to the conference ever if you are unable to attend. If you or your Unit/Post/Squadron are interested in supporting this event, please check our list: Jr Conference Wish List
Training and Mentoring our Superhero Sidekicks to serve our Veterans Now and in the Future.
The purpose of the Junior Activities Committee is to inspire active participation in members aged 17 and under so they become engaging, productive members who will want to continue their American Legion Auxiliary membership into adulthood. This mentoring can take on many forms including organized Junior Unit meetings, having Juniors join you at Senior meetings, or encouraging them to volunteer with you.
Consider attending the Central Division Mission Training in Cincinnati, Ohio on November 4th and bringing Juniors with to attend a National Junior Meeting.
This year we will be returning to the single weekend format for our Juniors and Young Sons Conference. The date for the Conference will be April 13th and 14th, 2024. The conference will be held in Central Ilinois. My sincerest apologies for being vague with the details, but plot twists are not uncommon in Superhero stories. Not all plot twists are bad, but we just need a little more time to ensure that this plot twist is the positive that we believe it to be. Full details will be available after Labor Day.
Since Junior Conference is supposed to be self-sustaining, but these expenses are not things our Juniors can afford we have discussed with the Finance Committee two potential fundraising activities for which we would like to ask the Board for their consent. The first activity would be an Amazon wish list for consumables for projects and mementos that relate to our Legion Family programs. For those unfamiliar with an Amazon wish list, in upcoming ALAToday mailings, we will provide a link to our Amazon list. An Amazon wish list is similar to a Bridal Registry in that you can purchase and item to donate and it will be shipped directly to us. This will allow Units, Posts, Squarons, or members to know exactly how their donation will support our Superhero Sidekicks without feeling that it needs to be a large monetary donation. We do ask that if you choose to support our Amazon wish list, please let us know who is making the purchase so that Our Sidekicks can send their proper thanks and complete an item on their patch program.
Being that this wish list will be new to everyone, we would also like consent to have a small raffle at Patriotic conference for any of those things that might be needed that cannot be purchased through Amazon.
My Junior Awards are as Follows:
- Deb’s Wild Ones Plaque: to the Unit for the best overall participation in the Junior Activities Program
- $5 personal award to the Junior Unit bringing the most Juniors to Jr. Conference
- $5 personal award to the Unit describing the most creative ideas for assisting Juniors with the Patch Program
Junior Contest rules will be in the Fall Mailing.
For those with Junior members between the ages of 8 and 17, National is currently hosting a contest to design the next National Junior Meeting shirt. If you would like additional information, please see our Facebook page or touch base with me and I can get you the information.
Thank you Angie for giving me one of my favorite Auxiliary program chairmanships.
Angie Mulligan | mickeym@ameritech.net | 815-546-6486
Does your ALA Junior want this T-shirt?
- They can get it FREE by registering for a National Junior Meeting! Not only will they get this tee, but they will have a fun Saturday interacting with other Juniors!
- NEW THIS YEAR: therapy dogs and their handlers will be onsite to talk about how canines assist veterans!
Register now! https://cvent.me/ZKAnvO?RefId=Facebook
LOCATIONS:
- Cincinnati, Ohio – Nov. 4, 2023
- Providence, Rhode Island – Nov. 4, 2023
- Las Vegas, Nevada – Jan. 27, 2024
- Lincoln, Nebraska – Feb. 3, 2024
- Nashville, Tennessee – Feb. 3, 2024
Resources from National
- Junior Activities Handbook
- Junior Leadership Course
- Junior Patch Program Level 1: Red K-3rd Grade
- Junior Patch Program Level 2: Gold 4th-8th Grade
- Junior Patch Program Level 3: Blue 9th-12th Grade
- Log into the National Website to Access these Items: Click Here
Department Resources