American Legion Auxiliary members in Maine elected South Bristol resident Mary Jane McLoon state president at their annual conference June 16 in Bangor.
Former President Donna Light, of Waldoboro, was McLoon’s installing officer.
Light filled the post in 1980-81 and had previously installed McLoon as a district president.
The state president serves a one-year term before moving on to represent Maine on the organization’s national executive committee.
The American Legion Auxiliary, the largest women’s patriotic organization in the world, is open to the immediate family members of American Legion members and deceased veterans.
McLoon’s involvement with the organization dates to 1975, when she joined under her late husband, Douglas McLoon, a veteran of the Korean War.
Her brother is also a Korean War veteran and a nephew is a veteran of the Iraq War.
McLoon’s service to the organization includes terms as district president and state chaplain, historian and vice president.
She’ll wrap up her duties as vice president in the weeks before the national convention in Indianapolis at the end of August.
As vice president, “membership is my game,” McLoon said, and she’s within 91 members of the quota set by the national organization – the previous year’s rolls plus one percent.
The state organization boasts about 8000 members, a fraction of the nearly 1,000,000 who belong nationwide.
As president, McLoon will focus on the auxiliary’s charitable work, including its aid to veterans at Togus, the U.S. Dept. of Veterans’ Affairs Medical Center, and veterans’ homes around the state.
The auxiliary also lends a hand to the families of veterans. This year, it bought 24 kayaks for Maine Military Adventure Camps at Bryant Pond, summer camps for the teenage children of service members.
Although the auxiliary’s numbers are strong this year, there are signs of change to come.
This year, the state auxiliary canceled the charters of several local units that had dropped below minimum membership levels and, in some cases, didn’t have the wherewithal to file paperwork with the Internal Revenue Service.
Members “don’t seem to come in as fast as we’re losing them,” Light, the former state president, said. She suspects the apparent decline in interest is related to the isolation brought about by technology like social networking websites and video games.
“It’s more a “me” world today than it used to be,” she said. “Open yourself up and help others.”
“You make many lasting friendships on every level,” Light said.
“I’d like to see more of the units bring in their daughters and granddaughters, because if they don’t do that, where are we going to be in five years?” McLoon said.
McLoon’s three granddaughters all belong to the auxiliary, a fact she remarks on proudly. She said she’s challenging Legionnaires to help her sign up their wives, daughters, mothers and sisters.
For more information about membership, call Mary Jane McLoon at 563-5316.
