The Auxiliary’s theme for this year is “The Power of One” Whether its one member, one idea, one program. Each member can be an active participant. Each one of us is able to contribute in our own unique and special way.
Louisburg has a very active unit and we enjoy participating in many events throughout the year to help our Veterans and community. Labor Day weekend is our largest fund raising event and we always need help…but we also participate in a variety of other functions such as the Veterans Day and Memorial Day services. Some of the worthwhile projects we support include sending boxes of necessities to our servicemen overseas; actively working with the local schools with the Girls State. Oratorical contest and Auxiliary scholarship programs; supporting the Veterans by soliciting donations for Poppies on Memorial Day and participating in the Christmas Gift Shop at Leavenworth, providing gently used clothing to the VA Clothing Room, the Footnotes to a Soldier program started by our President Rhonda Kerr; community support in our participation in the Trunk for Treats, safety CD’s for the local Police Department and the Fire Pups program with our local Fire Department. We actively contribute to children through the Children’s Miracle Networks “Josh Dogs” program. Also, we maintain a scholarship that honors the first Vietnam casualty from Louisburg, Lawrence E. Bauer which was started in 1970, and is the oldest scholarship still given at our local high school, which is awarded annually to a worthy Louisburg High School student.
The John P. Hand unit of the American Legion Auxiliary was chartered on April 8, 1938 with a membership of 40 women. Ora Grimes, who not only served as Charter President in the Unit, but was also the first from the area to be elected as District President during the 1942-1943 term. It would be many more years before Trish Ward was elected District President in the 2006-2007 year, followed by Barbara Meyer who served as district President in 2008-2009. The coming year for the 2010-2011 term of office, Trish Ward was elected as Department of Kansas President, a first for our little town of Louisburg, Kansas Post 250.
