The Callaway American Legion Auxiliary is a very busy group of ladies. While they focus much of their attention and efforts on supporting veterans and their families, the Auxiliary is also heavily involved in community service.

Each year the Auxiliary hosts a soup supper for veterans around Veterans Day, and assist with the Memorial Day ceremonies at the cemetery. The ladies also took on a project last year to purchase and place Christmas wreaths on the grave of every veteran buried at Rose Hill Cemetery, and this year they accomplished that goal.

The ladies are always looking for new ideas and ways to give back to the community and to the people who work so hard to make Callaway a special place to live. They recently completed a new project to recognize Callaway’s teachers and students, called 10 For Education.

“We contacted the teachers in the elementary and asked them what they needed,” explained Auxiliary member Mary Ann Boldt. “The preschool teacher asked for watercolor paints, so we were able to give them 24 boxes of paints - one for each student - along with Kleenex and paper plates for crafts and large plastic ziplock bags. This was made possible with a generous donation from Callaway Market.”

Boldt said the second grade teacher asked for 12-inch rulers for each student, large ziplock plastic bags, Kleenex and paper plates for her nine students.

The sixth grade asked for fine tipped erase markers, paper plates and large ziplock plastic bags, as well as Kleenex, which were provided for the 14 students in that class.

Boldt said this was a fun project for the Auxiliary and a way for the organization to show their support for the outstanding education system at Callaway Public School.

Founded in 1919, the American Legion Auxiliary has nearly one million members from all walks of life, and solidly stands behind America and its ideals.