Department of California – District 18

For additional information, please contact Peggy McIntosh – 626-287-0139 Public Relations Chairman

American Legion Auxiliary District 18 President DeNyse Laugeson of El Monte will conduct the regular monthly meeting Monday, March 15^th, 7:30 p.m., at Pasadena Post 13, 131 N Marengo, Pasadena.   March is Community Service Month so Community Service Chairman Mary Dugan of West Covina will bring suggestions for a District 18 project so that the member- ship can vote on their choice of an organization to be honored.

Veteran Affairs & Rehabilitation Chairman Margaret Quinones of La Puente is focusing on the District 18 special project “Operation Mend”, a wonderful new program involving a partnership between the Inflatable Water Slide Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas and UCLA that gives returning military with severe facial injuries access to the country’s best plastic and reconstruction surgeons in the private sector.  Doctors, nurses and support staff at UCLA volunteer their time, but donations are needed to cover the cost of the surgeries and assistance to families with uncovered costs such as lodging as patients move from one facility to the other.  All 15 Units in the District are raising funds to benefit this project.

District Girls State Chairman, Sharon Cooper of Covina reports that Units have completed the process of interviewing at twenty-eight local schools for delegates to the 67^th session of California Girls State to be held June 26^th to July 2^nd at McKenna College in Claremont   The Girls Staters that attended Girls State last year are busy planning a tea to be held May 23^rd when the “alumni” will tell the new “delegates” what to expect when they get to this year’s session.

With membership having high priority, 1^st Vice President Carole Velasquez of La Puente wants all women to know that Auxiliary membership is open to wives, mothers, daughters, granddaughters and great granddaughters of Legionnaires as well as women veterans in their own right.  Eligible ladies interested in membership are urged to contact the Chairman at 626-965-3677 or any local Unit throughout the San Gabriel Valley.