Legion Auxiliary donates to senior center

The Chester American Legion Auxiliary presented a $434 check to the Chester Senior Center on July 18.

ALA President Betty Wagner and Vice President Ellen Kautz presented the check to Senior Center Coordinator Donna Wolters on behalf of the ALA. Wagner stated the donation represented a portion of the Poppy fund, which is distributed only for veteran's projects.

Since the senior center serves lunches to many veterans on a daily basis, the ALA voted to donate the amount to the center.

The American Legion and its Auxiliary have been conducting Poppy Days during the weekend of Memorial Day for many years. Chester residents have been good contributors, and the Auxiliary has been able to donate to many veterans projects which are sponsored by the Illinois Department of the American Legion Auxiliary.

In addition, the Chester Unit has contributed to the Southern Illinois Honor Flight in the past and, recently, sent another donation toward the October flight which will fly out of the Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois in Marion.

During the first southern Illinois flight, two Chester veterans were on board along with several others from Steeleville. The responses from those veterans indicated the trip was well worth it, and Wagner encourages any World War II or Korean veteran to consider the October flight.

Interested veterans or families can contact Hope M. Patterson at 618-993-3353, Ex. 4 for information on the next flight.