The American Legion Auxiliary turned 100 years old Nov. 10, 2019. We are celebrating a century of honoring and helping our nation’s veterans, service members and their families.

Auxiliary members have provided comfort and companionship to the lonely, shown appreciation to the unappreciated, honored the unrecognized and forgotten ones.

The auxiliary donates tangible necessities for those who lack life’s basic needs as well as send care packages to our service men and women on active duty away from home.

For our American Legion and Auxiliary members we offer transportation to and from doctors’ appointments and hospitals if needed. We also support veterans in nursing home facilities and those who are unable to leave the comforts of their home.

The American Legion and its Auxiliaries offer a summer camp available to veteran, Legion and Auxiliary members’ children. They also offer several different college scholarships available to veteran children (for more information contact the local Post or Auxiliary).

The local Post No. 228 and its Auxiliary participates during Memorial Day by placing flags on our deceased veterans’ graves and also by attending the service at the Natchez National Cemetery.

We also attend the Veterans Day programs at both Co-Lin Junior College and Zion Hill No. 1 B.C. In December, the local Post placed wreaths at the National Cemetery for our fallen service members during Wreaths Across America, which is a national program that places wreaths at our soldier’s graves and honors them during the month of December.

The annual mid-winter conference will be in Natchez at the Grand Hotel, 111 N. Broadway St., beginning 1:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 17, and continuing at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 18, and later with the 100 year celebration banquet that evening and a closing memorial service at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 19.

We appreciate that the American Legion has chosen our city for its mid-winter conference for the past several years.

Anyone interested in joining American Legion Post No. 228 may contact Audry Clayton, Post No. 228 commander, or Dorothy Sanders, Auxiliary Post No. 228 president, at P.O. Box 95, Natchez, MS 39121.

Dorothy Sanders is president of American Legion Auxiliary Post No. 228.