American Legion Auxiliary: 96 year-old-organization seeking new members
By LeAnn R. Ralph
COLFAX — Maybe you’ve seen them around Colfax on a certain day in May.
Women dressed in white slacks, dark blue jackets, a red blouse and dark blue hats distributing red paper poppies.
Handing out poppies on Poppy Day is only one of the activities of the Colfax American Legion Auxiliary of the Russell-Toycen Post 131.
The donations received for the poppies are used for the rehabilitation of honorably discharged members from the United States Armed Forces, United States active-duty military, the families of veterans, and for active-duty military personnel where financial and medical need is evident.
The Colfax American Legion Auxiliary meets the second Wednesday of each month, March through November, at 2 p.m. in the dining area of the Colfax Health and Rehabilitation Center’s Sandy Ridge Apartments.
Susan Hill, a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, said the group would love to have more members.
As time goes on and the older members pass away or simply find it more difficult to be active in the group, the number of Auxiliary members has dwindled, Hill said.
The American Legion Auxiliary of the Russell-Toycen Post 131 was chartered in March of 1921.
At that time, it was the Orrin Russell American Legion Post 131 and did not become the Russell-Toycen post until after World War II. Dermont Toycen Jr. died in World War II, and his name was then added to the American Legion post.
At the national level, the American Legion Auxiliary was organized in 1919, and the purpose of the organization is to support the American Legion and is programs for veterans, young people and their community.
Nationwide, the American Legion Auxiliary has one million members belonging to 12,000 units in 10,000 American communities, Hill said.
Much of the early history of the American Legion Auxiliary in Colfax has been lost, Hill notes, “but we do know that Mrs. Glen Madison (Anne Wike) was the first president, and the first treasurer was Mrs. Jennie Mauer.”
The 1964 Colfax Centennial book lists the organization of the Colfax American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary as 1919.
According to the 1964 Colfax Centennial book, other active members included Mrs. Howe, Mrs. Dalton, Mrs. Russell and Mrs. E. Cardin, Hill noted.
The group was made up of women who were wives, mothers, daughter and sisters of veterans who served the United States during wartime, she said.
1920s
Back in the 1920s, the American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary met at the “Odd Fellows Hall” and at the Colfax Municipal Building Auditorium.
Unfortunately, there was no mention in the Messenger of the Auxiliary’s formation or charter.
But there is a history in the Messenger of the early American Legion.
In the November 13, 1919, Colfax Messenger, an article was published under the title “Closed: No Place to Go.” “A glance about Colfax would have given the appearance that Armistice Day, November 11, had already been declared a national holiday. The circulating of a petition on Monday, signed by a large majority of the citizens of the village, including practically all of the returned soldiers, sailors and marines, was effective in closing almost every business activity on the following day, and also the schools.”
The article goes on to say, “The fact is, Armistice Day has not been declared a legal holiday. In Colfax, there seems to be a difference of opinion as to the wisdom of the move locally.”
The article ends by saying, “Such decisions mean much to Colfax in the way of dollars and cents. In justice to the greatest number, there should be earlier notification to not only residents of the village but farmers as well. In spite of the awful condition of the roads and the winter-like weather, quite a number of farmers came to town Tuesday morning to find the village isolated as far as business activity was concerned. Imagine their thoughts!”
In the November 27, 1919, Colfax Messenger an article is published under the title of “Branch of American Legion,” “On Thursday evening of last week, the organization of the local branch of the American Legion was perfected. It will be known as the Orrin Russell Post.”
Orrin Russell was killed in World War I.
The article goes on to list the officers of the Colfax American Legion and to say the next meeting will be held at the Colfax Municipal Building Auditorium on December 4 at 8 p.m.
The American Legion Auxiliary was not mentioned.
First dance
In the December 18, 1919, Colfax Messenger, the following news item was published: “The initial dance given by the members of the Orrin Russell Post, American Legion, at the auditorium last Friday evening, was a big success in every way except financially. The extreme cold weather prevented many from coming from the country. There was a fairly good attendance and all present enjoyed themselves immensely. The music was very good, being furnished by the Big Four orchestra of New Richmond. The Post members contemplate giving another dance in the near future. These dances are given for a worthy cause and should be supported liberally by the people of Colfax and vicinity.”
Baskets
In the March 11, 1920, Messenger it was reported that “The basket auction and dance given at the Auditorium last Friday evening under the auspices of the American Legion boys was a great success.”
The article states the attendance was good in spite of bad road conditions.
“This was due quite largely to the fact that quite a number employed on the new dam were present and were not at all backward or stingy when it came to bidding on the baskets offered for sale.”
Construction of the dam between Eighteen Mile Creek and the Red Cedar River had just started, and a couple of weeks earlier, the Messenger had reported that three train car loads of materials had been shipped into town for the dam.
After it was built, the dam was part of the Colfax landscape for the next 79 years, until it was demolished in 1999.
The March of 1920 Messenger article notes that all together about 30 couples were in attendance at the American Legion dance, and the total receipts amounted to $50.20, “which left a little balance after meeting all the expenses.”
Armistice parade
The November 18, 1920, Messenger includes an article under the title of “Armistice Day Celebrated in Fitting Manner. Street Parade Headed by Menomonie Band — Former Townsman. O.G. Kinney, Speaks.”
The Armistice Day event featured a parade, a patriotic program in the municipal building auditorium, a chicken pie supper that netted $154 for the American Legion, with most of the food being donated, followed by a free band concert in the auditorium and a “movie show.” After deducting a “war tax,” another $96.20 was turned over to the Legion, and the main street pool hall turned over $30.
But there was still no mention of the American Legion Auxiliary, although it might not be too far-fetched to think the Auxiliary had a hand in planning and executing the suppers and dances.
Little news
A search back through the Messengers of 1921 and 1922 also does not reveal any articles about the formation of the Auxiliary and includes very little about the American Legion.
The December 29, 1921, Messenger reported on a December 22 meeting when American Legion officers were elected and “the dues for next year have been reduced to $2. This makes the dues so low that it is within the reach of every ex-service man to become a member of the Post.”
But the article yet again makes no mention of the Auxiliary.
The April 13, 1922, Messenger does finally mention the Auxiliary: “The American Legion and Ladies Auxiliary will serve dinner, lunch and supper at the Auditorium Saturday, April 15. Anyone not belonging to the order who wishes to contribute eats towards the meals will be gladly accepted, such as pie, cake, bread, pickles, doughnuts, butter, coffee, cream. By order of the Committee.”
By contrast, nearly every edition of the Messenger during those years contained news of the Colfax Woman’s Club. Even the Colfax Holstein Club was mentioned more than the American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary in the early years of the American Legion and the Auxiliary’s existence.
Larger organization
In the early 1950s, the American Legion Auxiliary had grown to nearly one hundred members, including several junior members, who learned about the flag, other countries, and made tray favors for shut-ins, Hill said.
Articles in the Colfax Messenger from the 1950s also note that the American Legion had 170 members at that time.
The American Legion Auxiliary still continues to support the objectives and activities of the Russell-Toycen American Legion Post 131, Hill said.
The Auxiliary participates in a variety of events throughout the year, include distributing red paper poppies made by disabled veterans at rehab centers; marching and/or riding in the annual Memorial Day Parade that ends with a program and ceremony at the Colfax Evergreen Cemetery; sponsoring the November 11 Veteran’s Day Supper; and almost every year since 1948, the Auxiliary has sent a Colfax High School girl or girls to Badger Girls State.
Sponsoring the CHS girl for Badger Girls State is now done in cooperation with Bremer Bank, Hill noted.
In addition, the Auxiliary participates in the County Council with other Dunn County units; sends gifts and money to the Veteran’s Holiday Gift Shop at the veterans’ hospital in Tomah; helps organize and assists the Red Cross with blood drives; provides holiday greetings to Legion and Auxiliary members now living at Colfax Health and Rehab; serves as honor guards at the funerals of deceased members; and have assisted with vision and hearing testing at Colfax Elementary.
WREATH — Arlene Scheidecker, a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, waits to hang the wreath at Evergreen Cemetery in Colfax during the Memorial Day Ceremony in 2014. Also pictured is American Legion member Ray Johnson. Ray’s wife, Marlene, who passed away January 27, 2017, also was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary. —photo by LeAnn R. Ralph
More history
Bits of American Legion Auxiliary history are scattered throughout the Messenger.
The following news items were recently gleaned from the Colfax Messenger while compiling “Out of the Past” for the 50-year old news.
In the May 26, 1966, Messenger: Mrs. Leon Dunbar, Mrs. Tom Hill, Mrs. Martin Olson, Mrs. Mary Braaten and Mrs. Ray Johnson attended the 10th District American Legion Auxiliary Conference in Chetek Saturday. The local unit received three awards: the unit history book; membership; and for the Child Welfare report.
In the June 9, 1966, Messenger: A committee from the Legion Auxiliary of Mrs. Clifford Peterson, Mrs. Odd Lindberg, and Mrs. Raymond Johnson, along with Legion Commander Clifford Peterson, suggested two names for the cemetery. The Colfax Village Board and the committee agreed that Colfax Evergreen Cemetery would be a suitable name.
In the August 18,1966, Messenger: New officers for 1967 for the American Legion Auxiliary local unit No. 131 are Mrs. Thomas Hill, president; Mrs. Gerald Schwartz, vice president; Mrs. Leon Dunbar, secretary; Mrs. Arnold Sumstad, treasurer; Mrs. Clifford Peterson and Mrs. Odd Linberg, sergeants-at-arms; Mrs. Raymond Johnson, historian; Mrs. Juul Noer, chaplain.
In the December 29, 1966, Messenger: On Christmas Eve, following an early supper which consisted of lutefisk, lefse, meatballs and the trimmings, residents at Area Nursing Home gathered in the lounge for the very first Christmas Eve celebration at the nursing home … after the gifts, the cooks had prepared a tasty lunch. Many boxes of delicious candy and other goodies were donated. More records also were added for the stereo-hifi from the American Legion Auxiliary and the Charity Circle of the Colfax Lutheran Church Women.
Eligibility
Eligibility for the American Legion Auxiliary is based on being related to people who served in various wars.
You can join the American Legion Auxiliary if you are the mother, wife, daughter, sister, granddaughter, great-grand-daughter or grandmother of a member of the American Legion and deceased veterans who served in the United States Armed Forces during the following war periods. Step-relatives also are eligible: World War I (April 6, 1917 to November 11, 1918); Merchant Marines (December 7, 1941 to August 15, 1945); World War II (December 7 1941 to December 31, 1946); Korean War (June 25, 1950 to January 31, 1955); Vietnam War (February 28, 1961 to May, 1975); Grenada/Lebanon (August 24, 1982 to July 31, 1984); Panama (December 29, 1989 to January 31, 1999); Persian Gulf (August 2, 1990 to cessation of hostilities).
Benefits
Several benefits are available to American Legion Auxiliary members, including a year’s subscription with paid membership to “National News,” the Auxiliary’s magazine.
Free travel accident insurance provides up to a $7,500 accidental death benefit, depending upon mode of transportation.
Membership also includes a prescription discount plan and long distance phone service that gives members a low rate per minute, and a significant percentage of the monthly phone bill is contributed to the Auxiliary Scholarship program each year.
In addition, members can receive car rental discounts, moving van discounts, and an exclusive Auxiliary credit card with a competitive annual percentage rate, no annual fee and toll-free 24-hour customer service.
Special Auxiliary supplemental insurance plans are available as well for medicare supplement insurance, major medical and short-term insurance, life insurance, hospital cash, cancer insurance, and long-term care.
And last, but not least, Auxiliary membership includes emergency assistance grants.
Poppy Day
Poppy Day is May 18.
If you see the Auxiliary ladies around Colfax in their red, white and blue uniforms with handfuls of poppies, just remember, they are carrying on a nearly-100-year tradition of service.