President’s Corner
LoAnn Dick – Department President
president@ndala.org
Photo courtesty: IceBerg Art, Candace Berg
Greetings to all American Legion Auxiliary members.
We have now started the new Auxiliary year. We are aiming to make this an “It Is What We Make It” year! We will go back to monthly or maybe quarterly Auxiliary meetings. We will work hard to get every unit to 100% membership.
It makes me sad that the COVID lock downs and concerns caused so many of our units to stop meeting and gathering for projects. This has had a devastating effect on our units, our friendships, our veterans projects, and in some cases, a massive loss in memberships. I would like to ask each of you to remember why you joined the Auxiliary. Remember the veterans through whom you joined and let us get excited about what we can do to honor them. We have big things to accomplish for our veterans! Let’s never let them think or feel that we have forgotten them or our mission in supporting them. They are our purpose! They are our heroes! They are our heart! Let us stand up and wholeheartedly support them.
Most of the 2024 Fall District Meetings have been set. Let us all surprise our District President by showing up in large numbers to support them, to learn all that they have planned to teach us, to gather with old and new friends alike. It is so much fun to get together and talk about our units, our successes and maybe our challenges, our lives, our kids, and all those things friends love to talk about. Your leadership teams are working hard to make the District meetings as informative and fun as possible. Please join us! See you there.
By the time we have our District meetings, all those who represented you at the 2024 National Convention in New Orleans will be back in North Dakota. Their heads will be full of new things they learned, fun things they experienced, and all the things they want to share with you. They will bring you ideas on how to excite your units, teach your members, and help you make your units run better than ever.
It is my greatest honor to serve you as your Department President this year. With God’s assistance, I will strive to lead with the best of my ability. With God on your team, who can be against you. Let us work together to make the Department of North Dakota a department we can be proud of. Let us work together to excite and inspire every unit to be the best it can be. Let us work together and make our 2024-2025 theme and purpose “It Is What We Make It.” Let us make it great!
Yours for our veterans.
LoAnn Dick
Department President 2024-2025
Department President-Elect
Candace Berg – Department President-Elect
presidentelect@ndala.org
Photo courtesy: IceBerg Art, Candace Berg
Candace joined the Auxiliary as a junior member under the eligibility of her father, Harland Berg, a Vietnam veteran. During her years as a junior member, Candace served as the trumpet player (bugler) for Memorial Day programs until graduating from high school.
Candace is active with the York unit as well as the Devils Lake Neathery-Simenson VFW Auxiliary, having served as a flag bearer, unit secretary, unit chaplain, and several chairmanships.
Candace is also involved with Ramsey County 4-H, serving as the treasurer and a 4-H leader. She emphasizes community service projects with her group that are veteran-focused, such as learning the meaning of the US flag, flag folding, honoring businesses and homes who display the US flag, putting together veteran food and supply packages, and helping with veteran and patriotic holiday services.
Candace currently lives and works in Devils Lake and is the proud parent of 3 children and a menagerie of pets. She is a licensed foster care parent, and in her spare time she enjoys volunteering at White Horse Hill National Game Preserve, sketching, photography, genealogy, watching hockey, exploring nature, and spending time with loved ones.
Candace’s focus this year is to embrace the programs of the American Legion Auxiliary and meeting as many veterans as possible.
(Department Staff Article)
Meet your Department Vice President
Sandy Smith – Department Vice President
vicepresident@ndala.org