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Gladbrook Auxiliary hosts October meeting

GLADBROOK — The Gladbrook Auxiliary held its regular meeting in the Memorial Building on the rainy day of Oct. 11. President Jeanne Paustian opened the meeting with all repeating the Pledge to the flag and prayer by Chaplain Joyce Swangel. Seven officers answered roll call.

A Memorial Service by Paustian and Swangel was held for Poppy Chairman and member Jodi Betts who passed away and was laid to rest in Waterloo’s Memorial Gardens on Oct 2. The charter was draped by Past National President Nik Clapp.

The minutes were read and approved. No treasurers report noted. The Auxiliary served 48 Seniors a delivered meal on Oct. 8 with plans for the next dinner on Nov. 12. The Unit is planning a trunk of goodies for the Commercial Clubs Trunk or Treat project on main street Oct. 31. Donations of candy or small treasures are needed.

The Unit is hosting a potluck supper on Nov. 8 welcoming all veterans and families for the 6:30 p.m. meal. Clapp will again show a video of the Phoenix Convention along with welcoming Department, District and County Commanders. There will be no Veterans Day program at Westbrook previously scheduled for Nov. 11 due to COVID restrictions. The fall sewing days have also been canceled until next year and hopefully the Iowa Veterans Home rugmakers will be catching up on all those stored carpet materials.

Clapp told of her last official visit to Iowa at the Department Convention in Des Moines in July. She received a Legion Riders vest from that group and an invitation to ride a motorcycle to the National Convention in August…another new experience. With money donations received Clapp plans to build climate-controlled display cases for National Headquarters Calvacade of Memories memorabilia in Indianapolis.

Department Awards presented at the State Convention were presented to the Unit and Committee chairman. Also the Unit received four Central Division Award Plaques for Children and Youth and National Security chaired by Paustian, Americanism by Lisa Reinhard and Poppy by Betts. A motion was made by Paustian to present this plaque to Bett’s family, seconded and carried.

The Unit will again be making popcorn balls beginning at 9 a.m. on Nov. 29 in the Memorial Building for the Santa’s Sacks. The Commercial Club is planning its Festival of Trees in the City Center and Christmas Events on Dec. 1. The Auxiliary will be hosting the annual Senior Citizens Festival of Trees dinner at 11:30 a.m. on Dec. 3 in the City Center. This will be a sit-down meal with deliveries available.

Education chairman Sue Koster introduced Clapp as she told through video highlights of her two years as the National Auxiliary President. She reported traveling 140,000 miles across America, Alaska and Hawaii, covering 42 states and able to visit all but 12 states. Everyone was celebrating the 100th anniversary, so there was lots of cake. She also told of putting on that vest and riding with Bob Wenger, of Atkins, and the Shellsburg Legion Riders as they joined the more than 200 cycles in the Motorcycle Legacy Run to Phoenix. They joined the group in Rogers, Ark. Refueling all those bikes was a process with arrangements made ahead at stations, until they ran out of fuel throwing them way off schedule. Arriving in Scottsdale AZ, Nik had to fly on into Phoenix to stay on schedule. She reported enjoying the challenges of her 2-year journey in spite of COVID but was also ready to turn the reins over to her successor, Kathy Daudistel, of Kentucky.

The meeting was adjourned with a closing prayer by the Chaplain. Terri Luehring and Rose Russell treated the group to a ‘chocolate’ pudding dessert to sweeten the trip home.

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