By MARY WACHACHA
STEVE YOUNGDEER AMERICAN LEGION POST 143 AUXILIARY
The Eastern Band of Cherokees is a Tribe whose members have a strong sense of fighting for freedom. We are lucky to have so many veterans!
Although there are many small towns in western North Carolina who have veterans, few of those small towns have organized an American Legion Post. In the late 1930s, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians formed the Steve Youngdeer American Legion Post #143. The Steve Youngdeer American Legion Post is also home to the American Legion Auxiliary. The American Legion Auxiliary is the world’s largest women’s patriotic service organization, with the strength and influence of the American Legion Auxiliary being derived from its members. The American Legion Auxiliary, located in the American Legion Building on Acquoni Road, exists to provide services to the current military and veterans of the Eastern Band.
Lisa Penick, left, is shown with her husband, Charles, at the 2019 Memorial Day event hosted by the Steve Youngdeer American Legion Post 143 at the Cherokee Veterans Park. Lisa is the secretary for the Post 143 Auxiliary. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photo)
Our President is Patsy Ledford, Carol Long is our Vice President, Lisa Penick is our Secretary, and Sharon French is our Treasurer.
Our mission is, “In the spirit of Service, Not Self, the mission of the American Legion Auxiliary is to support The American Legion and to honor the sacrifice of those who serve by enhancing the lives of our veterans, military, and their families, both at home and abroad. For God and Country, we advocate for veterans, educate our citizens, mentor youth, and promote patriotism, good citizenship, peace and security.”
We hope to encourage greater participation in the Auxiliary by encouraging those women, who are eligible for membership in The American Legion, to consider joining the American Legion Auxiliary. If you are the mother, wife, daughter, sister, grand-daughter, great-grand-daughter, or grandmother of veterans or you have loved ones who are members of our local American Legion Post, we would like to invite you to join us for our monthly meetings on the third Monday of every month at the American Legion Post on Acquoni Road from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
For each meeting, for each service activity to our veterans, for each of our currently members in the military, the Auxiliary finds we need more women to help us to help our military and our veterans. As we work to ensure the future growth and prosperity of the Auxiliary – we need your help. Please consider joining us at our next meeting on Monday, Aug. 19 at the American Legion Post (Old Civic Center/Court House) on Acquoni Road at 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
