February 10, 2025 • 38 mins
What motivates someone to dedicate their life to supporting veterans and their families? Meet Mary Eunice Cole, Alice Barberi, and Mary Jo Abraham as they open up about their heartfelt journeys with the American Legion Auxiliary in Mississippi. Their stories are intertwined with personal connections to military service, from Mary Jo's late husband Frank's Army service to Alice's experiences with her husband Victor during the Korean conflict. These powerful narratives reveal the deep sense of duty and passion driving their commitment to the Auxiliary's mission.
The episode also celebrates the boundless energy of youth engagement as we journey through initiatives like Girls State. Imagine the excitement of introducing young minds to the concept of the Space Force and watching their curiosity ignite. Mary Eunice and I share our experiences working with local schools to promote Girls State, an initiative that not only educates high school juniors about government but also transforms them into tomorrow's leaders. With collaboration from school counselors and anecdotes from past participants, we explore the profound impact these programs have on nurturing leadership and building lasting community bonds.
Experience the warmth and compassion of Clarksdale's Unit 28 as they bring joy to the local community. From hosting lively bingo games at Flowers Manor Retirement Community to signing Christmas cards for veterans at the Oxford VA, their acts of kindness echo through the community. We reflect on the personal connections formed through initiatives like the poppy fund collection and Veterans Day programs, emphasizing the American Legion Auxiliary's unwavering dedication to honoring veterans. Join us in celebrating these heartfelt efforts and uncover the vibrant community spirit that defines the Auxiliary.
Don't forget to subscribe and share with your friends and family. Drop us a line today at JDAllhands@outlook.com. If you'd like to become a sponsor of our show or advertise with us please send an email to jdallhands@outlook.com or call us at 662-902-6658.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jerry Allhands (00:00):
This is the Veterans Sound Off Podcast.
I'm your host, jerry Allhands,a veteran of the US Air Force
and Army and a Mississippi PassDepartment Commander of the
American Legion.
You're invited to join me as wetravel across the state of
Mississippi, visiting theAmerican Legion posts in each
community.
Together, we'll get to know theAmerican Legion family,
(00:22):
including the American LegionAuxiliary, the Sons of the
American Legion and the LegionRiders.
As we travel the state we'llvisit with other groups and
organizations that are servingAmerica's veterans and their
families.
Today, we travel down Highway 61through the North Mississippi
Delta to 700 Spruce Street inClarksdale, where you'll find an
M-60 tank parked in the frontyard of Cooper-Yerger Post 28, a
(00:46):
post that was chartered 105years ago and is home to two
past Department CommandersWilliam A Schmidt, who served as
Department Commander for1929-1930, and Jerry D Allhands,
who served for 2021-2022.
Today we are meeting with theUnit 28 American Legion
Auxiliary.
It is a beautiful day for thistime of the year and I'm very
(01:08):
pleased with that.
Going from my left to my right,I'm here with Ms Mary Eunice
Cole.
Mary Eunice Cole (01:13):
Hello there, jerry, good to see you.
Jerry Allhands (01:15):
Good to see you.
Thank you for being here.
Next to that is Ms AliceBarberi.
Alice Barberi (01:20):
Hello, it's nice to be with you.
Jerry Allhands (01:22):
And Mary Jo Abraham on my far right.
Good to be with you and Mary JoAbraham on my far right.
Good to be here.
I know that some of y'all mayhave heard the podcast where the
National President was here afew weeks back.
She opened with a prayer.
Would one of y'all like to openwith prayer?
Mary Jo Abraham (01:35):
for us.
Mary Eunice Cole (01:35):
Mary Eunice is our chaplain All right Lord,
here we are together as membersof the American Legion Auxiliary
and with Jerry Allhands, who isconducting this podcast and who
is a friend for many years ofstanding.
We ask that you give us theright words to share with people
, to let them know that theAmerican Legion and the
(01:56):
Auxiliary both are stillstanding and are still doing
their job.
So please give us the grace tobe able to do some good for our
members and for our servicemembers.
So thank you for the day, thankyou for the company, thank you
for the chance to share.
Alice Barberi (02:17):
Amen Amen.
Jerry Allhands (02:19):
Thank you.
Let's start today, if we could,with why, Mary Jo, did you join
the American Legion Auxiliary,and when?
Mary Jo Abraham (02:32):
I became a member back in November of 2008.
Alice has been a member muchlonger than Mary Eunice and I
have, but Mary Eunice and I went.
Marge Hudson at that time wasthe president of the auxiliary
and she invited both of us to goto the Oxford VA because they
(02:53):
were doing bingo there, and MaryEunice and I talked about it
after we went and we liked it.
The next day was a Veterans Dayprogram that you yourself had
put together at the Civic Center, and we went to that, and it
was then that Mary Eunice and Idecided, hey, if this is the way
(03:14):
the organization works, we wantto be a part of it.
So we signed up that day.
Jerry Allhands (03:20):
That's awesome.
What makes you eligible to bein the auxiliary?
Mary Jo Abraham (03:25):
I am eligible through my late husband, Frank
Abraham.
He served and that is how Iqualify for my membership.
Jerry Allhands (03:35):
What branch of service was he in?
Mary Jo Abraham (03:37):
He was in the Army, in the Army.
Jerry Allhands (03:40):
And you said late, he passed away.
Mary Jo Abraham (03:42):
Yes, 2017.
Jerry Allhands (03:45):
Well, we appreciate you and we appreciate
him very much.
Alice, when did you join theauxiliary and why?
What makes you eligible?
Alice Barberi (03:53):
Well, actually, because my husband, Victor, has
joined the American Legion,joined the American Legion, and
so next thing I know I'm sure itwas the president of the
auxiliary was contacting me, andso she invited me to come to
(04:14):
the meeting.
So next thing, you know, I'm amember.
Jerry Allhands (04:20):
Do you remember in what year you joined?
Alice Barberi (04:21):
No, probably in the 1990s, somewhere in there.
Jerry Allhands (04:28):
And your husband Vic, was in.
Alice Barberi (04:29):
Yes, and he, my husband is.
Of course he's.
Some folks know he's a lotolder than I am, but
nevertheless he was drafted whenhe was a senior in high school
for Korea and so he did his timewith the army.
He did not go to Korea, he theyput him on a ship and he was
(04:54):
out in the ocean, he said, whena truce was declared and I've
since read about that and you,you can go and read the history
of the Korean conflict orwhatever you want to call it,
police action or something andso there was a point when the
president said, okay, this is it, you know, and they drew the
parallel and and that was it.
(05:15):
So evidently he was on the shipand they turned it around and
sent it back to California.
So, anyway, he went back toTexas, to his base, and he
served there until he'd done hisactive duty time.
Then he came home and of courseyou have to be reservist or
something.
You probably know more aboutthis than I, but nevertheless.
(05:37):
So he got reactivated duringthe Cuban crisis when, I think,
meredith went to Ole Miss.
Jerry Allhands (05:48):
Got all the fun stuff in the 50s and 60s.
Alice Barberi (05:50):
Yeah, yeah, it was like in 1961, maybe was that
the Cuban crisis thing orwhatever, anyway.
So he was attached to theNational Guard unit here and so
he and a bunch of these folkshere ended up down at Fort Polk,
louisiana I guess they wentdown there for I don't know
about a year or something likethat.
(06:11):
So that was, and people don'treally realize it's what a
strain that put on peoplebecause suddenly people had jobs
and were supporting theirfamilies and the next thing, you
know, you're in the army andyour income is greatly
diminished and but your billsstill have to be paid and you
have your family at home.
(06:31):
And I know one of our oldmembers, former members, ray
Keith, american Legion member,his wife talking about how hard
that was on them.
You know when that particularincident happened, but anyway.
So my husband, like I said, hedidn't serve overseas, but he he
did, uh, serve and soconsequently he's a member and
(06:54):
so I'm a member, so and I've,I've enjoyed it that part.
I like to hear you've enjoyed ityeah, I mean I, I enjoy when we
get to do events and meet withchildren, go to the nursing home
.
You actually get more than yougive.
Of course, that's true mosttimes when you give something to
(07:15):
somebody you know.
Just a generous act actuallygets you more back, wouldn't you
agree?
Yes, I do.
Jerry Allhands (07:25):
Mary Eunice.
When did you become anauxiliary member, and by whom?
Mary Eunice Cole (07:30):
Actually, Mary Jo and I joined the same day.
Jerry Allhands (07:33):
The same day.
Mary Eunice Cole (07:34):
Yeah, and what's funny is Frankie and
Raymond were friends for alifetime school and all that
much stuff, and Victor was alittle ahead of them but he was
still in school with all therest of them too.
So the three musketeers herehave got the three husbands who
were involved in the service andthen we who ended up involved
(07:56):
in the auxiliary.
Jerry Allhands (07:58):
Keeping it in the family more or less.
Mary Eunice Cole (08:00):
Yeah, we made a family out of the whole thing,
okay.
Jerry Allhands (08:03):
So for you it was 2008 as well.
Mary Eunice Cole (08:05):
I never looked at the date, but I've been
there ever since.
Jerry Allhands (08:09):
And we're glad you're here.
Mary Eunice Cole (08:09):
About the time I was wondering if I really
wanted to keep on doing it.
Mary Jo got elected presidentand I said, so long as she's
president, for sure I'm in here.
But as she and Alice got goingon the thing, things started
happening again.
On the thing, Things startedhappening again.
They ended up doing differentthings that we were not doing
(08:30):
before and being active in thecommunity and in other local
communities close by at hand,and so we felt good about
belonging to the auxiliarythat's something I'd like to ask
you.
Jerry Allhands (08:43):
What is the, what would you say is the one
biggest accomplishment that Unit28 has done in this membership
year, this 24-25 year?
Mary Eunice Cole (08:53):
The one biggest thing.
Mary Jo Abraham (08:56):
Well, we've done quite a few things this
past year.
We had a really in November.
We had a really great veteranDay program that people are
still talking about.
That they really enjoyed and itreally ministered to them with
our wonderful speaker that wehad Working with the Oxford VA
(09:17):
for the department I'm therepresentative and Alice is the
deputy for the state ofMississippi.
I'm the representative andAlice is the deputy for the
state of Mississippi and we hada really successful Veterans
Christmas gift shop that we did.
So those are the two thingsthat come to mind.
What else, alice?
Alice Barberi (09:35):
Well, of course, one of the other members, susan,
and I did a Veterans Dayprogram with one of the local
parochial schools, stElizabeth's, and had a real good
time doing that.
Of course, you knowelementary-aged children, and
they came in and I introducedthem to the latest branch of the
(09:59):
service.
Jerry Allhands (10:01):
The Space Force.
Alice Barberi (10:01):
Yeah, I know they kind of laughed about that too.
You know various ones, but itwas like, you know, they knew,
you know the Army, the Navy,they knew all those branches.
I said, but there's one more,and they were going like huh,
you know, and I said Space Force.
I said y'all probably want tojoin that one, you know, because
it's going to be full of tech,you know, for techie kids that's
(10:26):
the one to be.
So anyway, that was a lot offun.
Of course, like I said, you getmore than you give, because
just being in a room full ofchildren like that was it was,
it was great and what gradelevels was that?
uh, I guess these were probablylike maybe the fourth, fifth to
sixth grade or something likethat.
Yeah, say that they were theolder children at the school.
School goes from kindergartento sixth.
Jerry Allhands (10:49):
On the subject of school juniors, high school
juniors got an event coming upbetween their junior and senior
year girls state yes.
What are your plans for girlsstate in the Clarksdale,
Oklahoma County community?
Mary Jo Abraham (11:02):
Mary Eunice and I have been working for
probably 10 years or so withsome of the schools here in our
Delta area and we're reallylooking forward to it.
I have been asked to serve onthe department committee in
reorganizing Girls State in thestate of Mississippi and our
former director, angelaKilcrease, is coming back this
(11:23):
year to help get thingsorganized and just make some
changes that needed to be madewith the program.
But Mary Eunice and I have beenworking with the schools.
We attend the Awards Day eventsand acknowledge the juniors
that have attended andacknowledge the juniors that
(11:45):
have attended and give themtheir cords that are awarded to
them to wear with theirgraduation robes and one thing
and the other.
So we've been involved with itand we've gotten a really good
response from local schools withthat.
Jerry Allhands (12:00):
What are you looking for in a student to have
them go to Girls State?
Is there a requirement?
Is there something that you'relooking for in character, or
what makes a girl stand out thatyou want to send her to Girls
State or promote her to GirlsState?
Mary Jo Abraham (12:16):
Well, you know you really depend upon the
counselors that you work with atthe schools and they really
screen the girls for us and tellus that you know this is a
really great student, she'sinterested in government and one
thing and the other, so shewill be a really good candidate
Basically.
You know, if the counselorrecommends somebody, because now
(12:41):
the forms had changed for thelast several years that the
counselor had to sign off on theon the students.
That went, so pretty much we gobased upon their recommendation
to us and we rely on thechildren, the students.
Alice Barberi (12:58):
I mean going back to their schools and sharing
that they've had a goodexperience with their.
You know the other studentsthat are coming up, and so
sometimes you'll get people likesometimes I'll be out in the
community or something, andthey'll go oh yes, ma'am, I know
about it.
Or I'll say, well, you need tomake sure your daughter does
this, or whatever.
Oh yes, ma'am, we're going todo that Because, well, for one
(13:21):
thing, it's good for theirresume.
So they're already starting aresume, even when they're in
high school.
So you know, I mean, we didn'tstart a resume until later,
alice and I had gone out of town.
Mary Jo Abraham (13:33):
We were in Alabama.
Where were we?
Birmingham, birmingham, and wewalked into Buc-ee's.
We had our shirts on that saidGirl State and the young cashier
that was helping us she said oh, I see you're from Mississippi
and you're in Girl State.
She says I went in.
(13:54):
Whatever, she was Tennessee,some other state.
Jerry Allhands (13:57):
She was another state.
Mary Jo Abraham (13:59):
And she acknowledged that she was one of
the junior counselor and wenton to be a senior counselor.
So you never know wheresomebody's going to pop up and
you're going to have thatconnection that you're going to
be together.
Alice Barberi (14:12):
And you can't assume that somebody working at
Buc-ee's is just a minimum wage,because that's not the case.
Buc-ee's is a career these days.
Mary Eunice Cole (14:21):
Our daughter, mary E, ended up at Girl State
the year she was a junior andshe brought down her her
unicycle, so she campaignedusing her unicycle and a red,
white and blue dress I had madeher and she ended up, I think, a
representative for it and shemet a lot of people down there
(14:44):
and one of them actually wassomebody that called her in
later years to say that therewas an opening in the career
line that she had chosen andthat they needed a good person
down there to do that work andshe should go down to the Gulf
Coast, and she's been there eversince.
Jerry Allhands (15:05):
Wow, I see I get to say that I married a girls
state attendee, so I'm veryhappy about that.
Mary Eunice Cole (15:10):
Yeah, so I did good Looking forward to
hopefully my granddaughter going.
Jerry Allhands (15:13):
This year Got my fingers crossed, but it's a
great event.
I've been able to attendprobably eight or ten or more
events at Girls State over theyears as a past department
commander and as a districtcommander, department whatever,
but it was an event that Ienjoyed.
I've always enjoyed Girls stateand what goes on there, the
(15:38):
fact that that, just like boysstate, the girls are learning
government civic involvement,and it's a lot of fun they learn
teamwork, they learn to getalong with one another.
Alice Barberi (15:50):
I mean, when you go there they are, you know they
have their each littleindividual areas, but they are
so together and working together.
So I mean they learn a lotabout government, but they just
I think they learn a lot abouthow to work together, which
government should do.
Mary Jo Abraham (16:09):
And one of the main things that we hear about
that from girls that haveattended is the lasting
friendships that they that theyhave, just like Mary Eunice,
told about her daughter MaryElizabeth.
Jerry Allhands (16:21):
You, you just make forever friends, I hear
that a lot between girl stateand boy state is the connections
you can make, and the one thingI tell the boy state is take
out a pad well, now it's yourphone and put all of your
classmates names and phonenumbers in there and keep them,
because you're going to, youknow, maybe 10, 20 years down
the road somebody's going toremember you Right.
(16:43):
Whether you were the quiet guyin the corner or the loud
cheerleader up front, you'regoing to be remembered by
somebody.
Alice Barberi (16:49):
I don't think there are any quiet ones there.
No, it is a loud occasion.
Jerry Allhands (16:59):
What was Hattiesburg several years back?
I think I don't think there wasa quiet day there, I mean
between the cheers and theconstant talking.
But hey, everybody was happy.
Yeah, and we enjoyed that,enjoyed it.
When is Girl State this yearfor the department?
Does anyone know?
Mary Jo Abraham (17:15):
It'll be the.
I think it's the second week inJune.
Jerry Allhands (17:19):
Okay, all right.
Mary Jo Abraham (17:20):
And they're changing the timeline this year.
Oh, it was going to be Sundayall the way to Saturday, but
they've shortened it.
So graduation will be on Fridaythis time instead of and
they'll check in on Sunday.
Is it the 9th through the 13thor something I don't know?
Is it on here?
Yes, june, the 8th through the13th, and then we are returning
(17:42):
to the Ole Miss campus.
Jerry Allhands (17:45):
What's the?
Do you have a limit of how manygirls that your unit can send?
Mary Jo Abraham (17:52):
Mary Eunice and I have worked very diligently
to make sure that any girl thatwanted to go was not left behind
, that we would have the funds,because Mary Eunice sends the
letters to differentorganizations in our community
and we ask them to sponsor andto help us.
Jerry Allhands (18:11):
And get lots of support that way, do you?
Mary Jo Abraham (18:13):
We do.
Jerry Allhands (18:13):
yes, we have our list of people that have been
very faithful in helping us toaccomplish that let's pause for
a moment to hear from some ofthe people who've helped to make
this episode possible withtheir financial support.
We want to thank three peoplewho have invested in this
podcast and have made itpossible.
A very special thank you toDean and Judy Graves of Mount
(18:36):
Vernon, missouri, for yoursupport and belief and, without
a doubt, this podcast would nothave happened without the
constant encouragement of LauraAllhands from Clarksdale,
mississippi.
If you are enjoying thispodcast, please consider
becoming a sponsor, just asthese folks did.
Simply call us today at662-902-6658, and we'll give you
(18:57):
all the details.
And now back to this episode ofthe Veterans Sound Off Podcast,
moving on from Girl State tothe local events that you have
going on here.
What's coming up in the springfor you?
Mary Jo Abraham (19:11):
Well, we haven't really gotten that far
in our discussions.
The meeting that we had todaywas very minimal discussions on
everything.
But we know that we're workingwith Girls State.
We know that that's coming up.
Alice Barberi (19:29):
One of the things that she did mention is
something that we're doingthroughout the year.
The senior living facility heredoes weekly or I think they do
weekly bingo or something, andso they you know there would be
veterans out there or widows ofveterans and things like that so
we agreed to provide them withbingo items for their bingo
(19:57):
prizes, and so each of us haschosen a month to take the stuff
out there, go out and buy abunch of stuff from whatever you
know, just little small things,because of course they don't
want to clutter.
You know their space with stuffanymore, but anyway, but we do
that.
You know their space with stuffanymore, but anyway, but we do
(20:18):
that.
And then in the month of mayisn't it may that we uh, we
actually each of us takes a weekand we actually go out there
and call the bingo and take theprizes.
Mary Jo Abraham (20:26):
So yeah, so that's a lot of fun too we
figured that this was our way toum to help flowers manor
Retirement Community by doingthis, because they had a cut in
budget and this was our way ofgiving back to them.
We have some of our meetings,our monthly meetings.
We go out there because we havesome of our members that are
(20:46):
residents there and so we allget together and they helped us
in November to sign Christmascards for the veterans at the
Oxford VA.
So we really appreciated theirhelp and they were really
enthusiastic about being able tohelp us do that Small thing.
But it was a lot of blessingsthat we could see with that.
(21:09):
So this is our way of givingback.
Their activities director isreally great.
The administrator there, monica.
She said anytime y'all want tocome, you want to come every
month, you're welcome to come.
So we really appreciate theirhospitality and the chef is
wonderful.
He does a great job with thefoods.
So we eat out there and then wehave our meeting afterwards I
(21:30):
like the sound of that thechristmas cards are placed on
the breakfast trays for eachperson out at the VA.
Jerry Allhands (21:38):
Okay, tell me about the Christmas cards.
Mary Eunice Cole (21:40):
Oh, just buy.
You know, people buy Christmascards and bring them in for us
and we sit down there and signit.
You know, from your friend atthe VA, I mean at the American
Legion Auxiliary here inClarksdale, unit 28.
Va, I mean at the AmericanLegion Auxiliary here in
Clarksdale, unit 28.
And then we bring them as aclump of cards to the lady over
(22:01):
there.
And that's what she's talkingabout, about delivering them.
Also, there's something else wedo with cards and that is and
somebody just gave us this idealast year and that is all of
these cards that you get sent.
You know, in the mail you getfive of this and such kind of
cards in there.
Well, some of them are going tobe Christmas cards, some of them
are going to be get well thingsor birthday things and stuff
(22:22):
like that, and her idea was tocollect all of those cards and
bring them to the VA so that ifanybody's got a family member
with a birthday or somethinglike that, that they can go and
pick out one of those cards andthey'll help them sign them and
mail them.
Jerry Allhands (22:39):
I like that.
You got some great eventscoming up.
I appreciate that.
What Mary, eunice and I'm goingto throw you all on the spot
here.
So just think about this whatis your favorite memory of your
time in the auxiliary?
Mary Eunice Cole (22:53):
I've got to tell you a funny story.
Okay, last year when we had ournational chaplain come and
visit here, we were kind offrantic thinking about what we
wanted to give her.
Well, her dad was a member ofthe of the uh of the post here
had Past commander Past,commander right, and he had
(23:16):
donated the uniform he had wornwhen he was at the yeah, the
uniform.
Jerry Allhands (23:25):
The Virginia Military Institute, the Virginia
.
Mary Eunice Cole (23:26):
Military Institute and it hung around
over here for a few years andthey didn't know what to do with
it and so inspiration struck.
So I said okay, we presented itto her when she was here and
she was thrilled to death aboutit and I said we'll get it
cleaned and mail it to you.
(23:47):
Well, get it cleaned was nottoo bad.
It just took me a while tofigure out what to do with it
and I took it out to thecleaners out here at the
Westgate and the man wasthrilled to be able to do
something for one of oursoldiers and stuff, and so he
cleaned it.
(24:08):
But he said there's a littleproblem with it.
And I said what's that?
He said the top looks great.
But he said something hasgotten in and gotten the seat of
the pants.
So I didn't look to find outwhether that was still left, I
just left it folded up, just theway he sent it, and I put it in
(24:28):
a box and we mailed it to her.
She's never said anything aboutit since then, so I don't know
really how much it had looked,but the top looked good.
Jerry Allhands (24:37):
Might still be in the box, maybe there you go.
Mary Eunice Cole (24:40):
So I thought let her figure out what to do
with it from here.
You know it's her dad so we did.
We got that thing that checkedone off of the list of what we
needed to have over here forthem to just let mess up, you
know, when it was something thatsomebody had treasured and that
she herself treasured, and thatwas Brister.
Brister's dad.
Jerry Allhands (25:01):
Okay, yeah, and it had his name in it in the
uniform.
Oh, when I got it down so and Iknow she's married now, so I'm
trying to remember her.
Mary Eunice Cole (25:13):
He was a SEAL.
Jerry Allhands (25:14):
Brister Thomas.
There was a joke I was going tomake there but being a SEAL,
I'm really terrified to makethat joke.
Mary Eunice Cole (25:20):
I just don't want to go.
Jerry Allhands (25:24):
Alice, what was your, your favorite memory of
your time with the auxiliary?
Alice Barberi (25:28):
Oh well, I don't know, but I guess I would have
to say I was.
In fact I was thinking about itlast night.
Um, but so the chambergraciously allows us to collect
for the poppies on the lastfriday of may, for we collect
money for our poppy fund, whichis money that goes straight to
(25:50):
the vet.
So I have to.
We either use it for somethingat the VA, a nursing home or
whatever comes up.
So anyway, they allow me to godown there and collect.
It's a community event and sothey have musicians that are on
the stage entertaining.
That's the purpose of the eventanyway.
So a couple, couple of yearsago, this local musician, who
(26:17):
was a wonderful violinist,anyway, so she was one of the
entertainers and we neededsomebody to play the national
anthem and she did.
It was absolutely gorgeous,beautiful, I think.
The whole crowd.
You know normally when you'rein a public setting and there
(26:38):
are musicians on the stage,there are people milling around
and talking and you knoweverything.
People stopped to listen.
It was a beautiful thing.
Jerry Allhands (26:47):
I would have liked to have heard that one
Interesting Mary Jo.
Mary Jo Abraham (26:54):
Well, there's so many wonderful things that
we've done over the years I mean, like you know, Alice and I
participated in Christmasparades and all the things we've
told you about with the OxfordVA that we've done but I think
one of the most interestingthings and interesting occasions
(27:16):
that we've had Over the yearswe've done many Veterans Day
programs, not only here at thePost but also at Flowers Manor,
and probably one of the mostmemorable of those programs
programs was when emily bailey,who is now a resident there at
flowers manor.
She was our chaplain forumpteen years and emily was on
(27:39):
the program to tell us aboutrosie the riveter, because that
was what she had done herself.
She experienced that and shewould go on and start talking
about.
You know how she?
Um showed us what her weddingdress looked like when she got
married.
She showed us a picture, hershoes that she wore.
She brought all thismemorabilia with her to make her
(28:02):
point of her presentation.
I want you to know that peopleare still asking where she is
and they would still like tolisten to some of the stories
that she told.
Real quickly.
She worked at um airplanefactory during the war and she
talked about that because shewas so little that she would get
in the nose of the airplane asthey were riveting and, you know
(28:24):
, doing what they had to do onthe outside and she would talk
about that.
She would go to lunch and comeback and go find her a spot to
go take an afternoon nap becauseshe fit in there and nobody
would ever know that she wasthere.
So she was one of our bestspeakers that we have had, other
than actual military that havetold us about some of the things
(28:46):
that they've gone through ortell us their opinions about
different things.
But that probably is on the topten, probably the top five.
Jerry Allhands (28:57):
All the things that you do here, with the many
programs that you do theVeterans Day, memorial Day
programs, all those sort ofthings how do you get the word
out to the public that this isgoing to happen?
Mary Jo Abraham (29:09):
We send flyers, I email the churches in the
community so that they can putus in their church bulletin and
Wednesday night services orwhatever.
And we've gone through thenewspaper, write letters to the
editor and one thing and theother that we've just the best
way that we can Now with the,you know, social media, social
(29:32):
media, the way that that it isyou've got so many more
alternatives other than justgetting on the phone and calling
somebody or telling alice tospread the word at work or
something like that.
Jerry Allhands (29:42):
You know so speaking of social media with
with the group that you've gothere, do you have a facebook
page or website or anything forthis, this unit?
Mary Jo Abraham (29:51):
we do most of our communication internally
through Messenger, but we do puta lot of things on Facebook,
Either my personal account orthe American Legion Auxiliary
for the state of Mississippialso has as well as the American
Legion for the state ofMississippi.
Jerry Allhands (30:09):
Is the state page?
Is it open to the public or doyou just have to be a member?
Mary Jo Abraham (30:15):
state page.
Is it open to the public or doyou just have to be a member and
be?
I think it's.
I think it's private.
I don't think it's um foreverybody to um to have access
to it if somebody wanted to jointhis unit, how would they go
about doing that?
Jerry Allhands (30:24):
who?
Mary Jo Abraham (30:25):
where would I tell you about that?
Alice Barberi (30:26):
she's our membership chairman, all right
well, I'll be happy to give theman application and they have to
.
You have to if you're a spouseor whatever, then you're the
veteran has to be a member ofthe post or a post somewhere,
and or else, if they're alive,right if they're alive.
(30:49):
If they're deceased, of course,you just have to have proof
that they are a veteran.
They're by you are eligible,okay, and then I think it can be
Mary Jo, help me with this,please, your grandfather or
somebody like that a closefamily member.
Jerry Allhands (31:10):
Grandfather father, stepfather, you can get
a connection somewhere there.
Mary Eunice Cole (31:13):
But right, we don't.
Mary Jo Abraham (31:14):
We want you to or it can be your brother, it
can be yourself it could beyourself as a veteran, yeah well
, yeah, you can be dual membersof both the legion and the
auxiliary.
Alice Barberi (31:26):
Let it.
Let me say this too, when Isaid spouse, uh, this is
something that's kind of newover the last couple of years I
guess I'm not sure how long it'sbeen in effect, we can have men
in the American LegionAuxiliary.
Historically it was a ladies'auxiliary program, but now,
(31:48):
since you can have women who arein the Legion and they can have
a male spouse, and they canjoin our unit too, and we would
welcome them.
Jerry Allhands (31:59):
I know that for a lot of organizations people
get us confused.
To give you an example, I'llsay I'm with the American Legion
and say, oh, you're with theVFW or you're with the DAV, well
, yeah, I'm in thoseorganizations.
But today I'm representing theAmerican Legion, in your case,
the American Legion Auxiliary.
(32:20):
Do you find that you getconfused with other
organizations and what are youdoing to change that persona?
I mean to make it clear you'rethe American Legion Auxiliary.
Mary Jo Abraham (32:33):
That happens all the time.
Jerry Allhands (32:35):
Right.
Mary Jo Abraham (32:35):
And that's kind of one of my pet peeves.
To give you a little bit ofbackground, we are a nonprofit
organization.
We were established by the USCongress in 1919.
So, in other words, any changesthat we make has to go back
through Congress.
Alice was talking a few minutesago about men being able to be
(32:56):
members.
Well, the criteria for that isyour wife has to be your legal
spouse, your legal female spousehas to be a member of the
American Legion in order for youto be a member of the auxiliary
.
So we're independent of thelegion.
In our individual units, in ourmemberships, our officers, we
(33:21):
have to, you know, we have tofile with the irs that we are
503b, that we're, you know, anon-profit organization.
We have our own bylaws,everything.
We are an umbrella of theAmerican Legion because it's the
auxiliary, it's the sons of theAmerican Legion, american
(33:41):
Legion riders, all of us.
You have to have an existingAmerican Legion post before you
can be established.
So we are 105 years strong andour main objective, of course,
is to serve and assist theAmerican Legion.
Being the auxiliary and we are,the Legion has its own
(34:20):
guidelines that it goes by andthe auxiliary has their own as
well.
Jerry Allhands (34:26):
So again you get somebody that confuses you with
another service organization.
I guess you just smile and youknow, nod and remind them that
we are the American Legionauxiliary Exactly.
All right, all right.
So again we get somebody comingto Clockstone Mississippi.
Y'all meet on what day and whattime.
Mary Jo Abraham (34:48):
The third Wednesday of the month,
september through June and at 12o'clock noon here at the
american legion hut, unless wego somewhere off-site and go to
another location and thelocation here is 700 spruce
street, clockstone mississippicorrect all right anything
(35:09):
outside that would let somebodyknow this is an american legion
post.
Jerry Allhands (35:12):
Is there I something obvious outside,
Something very large?
Mary Jo Abraham (35:16):
Yeah, a tank.
Yep, we usually tell them thatthere's a Sherman tank in the
front yard.
If you miss it, you miss wherewe are located.
The name is on the front of thebuilding, so that identifies us
.
Jerry Allhands (35:28):
And a very large flagpole out front.
Yeah we're happy about that.
For anybody that does come toPost 28, unit 28 in Clarksville,
mississippi, most of the timewe pull around to the back, the
gates open.
You come inside and we'll behappy to see you there, and
you're always welcome here atthis post.
Mary Eunice Cole (35:44):
Exactly.
Mary Jo Abraham (35:46):
Well, Jerry, thank you so much for having us
today and for the interview.
Jerry has interviewed us thisweek, but there will be others
that will also have theopportunity to tell their story
and you can learn a little bitmore about our different units
or organizations that areperhaps working with us to
(36:07):
achieve our goal of taking careof our veterans.
Mary Eunice Cole (36:10):
Jerry you've always been full of heart and
appreciation for all of theveterans and you're one of them
and it's so great that you'redoing this podcast and that
you're putting out the effort toreach everybody.
We would like to inviteeverybody to come back over here
to Clarksdale and to be with usat unit 28 on our Monday
(36:33):
meeting I mean our Wednesdaymeetings and again, they're the
third Wednesday of each month at12 o'clock noon, and if you
bring your lunch, you can comeat 1130 and eat with us first.
But come and be with us, comeand join us and give us the
support that we need to help theveterans too for us.
(36:53):
So y'all have a good day and bewith Jerry next week.
Jerry Allhands (36:57):
And that was our visit with the Unit 28 American
Legion Auxiliary in Clarksdale.
Be sure to join us next Mondaymorning as we visit with another
member of the American Legionfamily.
A very special thank you toJonathan Michael Fleming for his
musical talents.
You can find his CDs and videoson Spotify, Amazon Music and
YouTube.
We hope you've enjoyed thisepisode and look forward to your
(37:19):
feedback and ask that yousubscribe too and share the
Veterans Sound Off podcast withyour friends and family.
If you have a comment,suggestion or questions, or you
would like to become a supporterof this podcast, please send an
email to jdallhands atoutlookcom that's
J-D-A-L-L-H-A-N-D-S at outlook.
(37:40):
com, or by calling 662-902-6658,and we'll get back to you as
soon as possible.
This has been a production ofAll Hands Media LLC, with
offices in Rena Lara,Mississippi.
All rights reserved.
Hard work, we do it for play.
(38:03):
Hard work, hard work.
Mary Jo Abraham (38:04):
It's what they say Hard work, hard work.
I earn my pay.
Hard work work, hard work work,hard work work.
This is the Veterans Sound Off Podcast.
I'm your host, jerry Allhands,a veteran of the US Air Force
and Army and a Mississippi PassDepartment Commander of the
American Legion.
You're invited to join me as wetravel across the state of
Mississippi, visiting theAmerican Legion posts in each
community.
Together, we'll get to know theAmerican Legion family,
(00:22):
including the American LegionAuxiliary, the Sons of the
American Legion and the LegionRiders.
As we travel the state we'llvisit with other groups and
organizations that are servingAmerica's veterans and their
families.
Today, we travel down Highway 61through the North Mississippi
Delta to 700 Spruce Street inClarksdale, where you'll find an
M-60 tank parked in the frontyard of Cooper-Yerger Post 28, a
(00:46):
post that was chartered 105years ago and is home to two
past Department CommandersWilliam A Schmidt, who served as
Department Commander for1929-1930, and Jerry D Allhands,
who served for 2021-2022.
Today we are meeting with theUnit 28 American Legion
Auxiliary.
It is a beautiful day for thistime of the year and I'm very
(01:08):
pleased with that.
Going from my left to my right,I'm here with Ms Mary Eunice
Cole.
Mary Eunice Cole (01:13):
Hello there, jerry, good to see you.
Jerry Allhands (01:15):
Good to see you.
Thank you for being here.
Next to that is Ms AliceBarberi.
Alice Barberi (01:20):
Hello, it's nice to be with you.
Jerry Allhands (01:22):
And Mary Jo Abraham on my far right.
Good to be with you and Mary JoAbraham on my far right.
Good to be here.
I know that some of y'all mayhave heard the podcast where the
National President was here afew weeks back.
She opened with a prayer.
Would one of y'all like to openwith prayer?
Mary Jo Abraham (01:35):
for us.
Mary Eunice Cole (01:35):
Mary Eunice is our chaplain All right Lord,
here we are together as membersof the American Legion Auxiliary
and with Jerry Allhands, who isconducting this podcast and who
is a friend for many years ofstanding.
We ask that you give us theright words to share with people
, to let them know that theAmerican Legion and the
(01:56):
Auxiliary both are stillstanding and are still doing
their job.
So please give us the grace tobe able to do some good for our
members and for our servicemembers.
So thank you for the day, thankyou for the company, thank you
for the chance to share.
Alice Barberi (02:17):
Amen Amen.
Jerry Allhands (02:19):
Thank you.
Let's start today, if we could,with why, Mary Jo, did you join
the American Legion Auxiliary,and when?
Mary Jo Abraham (02:32):
I became a member back in November of 2008.
Alice has been a member muchlonger than Mary Eunice and I
have, but Mary Eunice and I went.
Marge Hudson at that time wasthe president of the auxiliary
and she invited both of us to goto the Oxford VA because they
(02:53):
were doing bingo there, and MaryEunice and I talked about it
after we went and we liked it.
The next day was a Veterans Dayprogram that you yourself had
put together at the Civic Center, and we went to that, and it
was then that Mary Eunice and Idecided, hey, if this is the way
(03:14):
the organization works, we wantto be a part of it.
So we signed up that day.
Jerry Allhands (03:20):
That's awesome.
What makes you eligible to bein the auxiliary?
Mary Jo Abraham (03:25):
I am eligible through my late husband, Frank
Abraham.
He served and that is how Iqualify for my membership.
Jerry Allhands (03:35):
What branch of service was he in?
Mary Jo Abraham (03:37):
He was in the Army, in the Army.
Jerry Allhands (03:40):
And you said late, he passed away.
Mary Jo Abraham (03:42):
Yes, 2017.
Jerry Allhands (03:45):
Well, we appreciate you and we appreciate
him very much.
Alice, when did you join theauxiliary and why?
What makes you eligible?
Alice Barberi (03:53):
Well, actually, because my husband, Victor, has
joined the American Legion,joined the American Legion, and
so next thing I know I'm sure itwas the president of the
auxiliary was contacting me, andso she invited me to come to
(04:14):
the meeting.
So next thing, you know, I'm amember.
Jerry Allhands (04:20):
Do you remember in what year you joined?
Alice Barberi (04:21):
No, probably in the 1990s, somewhere in there.
Jerry Allhands (04:28):
And your husband Vic, was in.
Alice Barberi (04:29):
Yes, and he, my husband is.
Of course he's.
Some folks know he's a lotolder than I am, but
nevertheless he was drafted whenhe was a senior in high school
for Korea and so he did his timewith the army.
He did not go to Korea, he theyput him on a ship and he was
(04:54):
out in the ocean, he said, whena truce was declared and I've
since read about that and you,you can go and read the history
of the Korean conflict orwhatever you want to call it,
police action or something andso there was a point when the
president said, okay, this is it, you know, and they drew the
parallel and and that was it.
(05:15):
So evidently he was on the shipand they turned it around and
sent it back to California.
So, anyway, he went back toTexas, to his base, and he
served there until he'd done hisactive duty time.
Then he came home and of courseyou have to be reservist or
something.
You probably know more aboutthis than I, but nevertheless.
(05:37):
So he got reactivated duringthe Cuban crisis when, I think,
meredith went to Ole Miss.
Jerry Allhands (05:48):
Got all the fun stuff in the 50s and 60s.
Alice Barberi (05:50):
Yeah, yeah, it was like in 1961, maybe was that
the Cuban crisis thing orwhatever, anyway.
So he was attached to theNational Guard unit here and so
he and a bunch of these folkshere ended up down at Fort Polk,
louisiana I guess they wentdown there for I don't know
about a year or something likethat.
(06:11):
So that was, and people don'treally realize it's what a
strain that put on peoplebecause suddenly people had jobs
and were supporting theirfamilies and the next thing, you
know, you're in the army andyour income is greatly
diminished and but your billsstill have to be paid and you
have your family at home.
(06:31):
And I know one of our oldmembers, former members, ray
Keith, american Legion member,his wife talking about how hard
that was on them.
You know when that particularincident happened, but anyway.
So my husband, like I said, hedidn't serve overseas, but he he
did, uh, serve and soconsequently he's a member and
(06:54):
so I'm a member, so and I've,I've enjoyed it that part.
I like to hear you've enjoyed ityeah, I mean I, I enjoy when we
get to do events and meet withchildren, go to the nursing home
.
You actually get more than yougive.
Of course, that's true mosttimes when you give something to
(07:15):
somebody you know.
Just a generous act actuallygets you more back, wouldn't you
agree?
Yes, I do.
Jerry Allhands (07:25):
Mary Eunice.
When did you become anauxiliary member, and by whom?
Mary Eunice Cole (07:30):
Actually, Mary Jo and I joined the same day.
Jerry Allhands (07:33):
The same day.
Mary Eunice Cole (07:34):
Yeah, and what's funny is Frankie and
Raymond were friends for alifetime school and all that
much stuff, and Victor was alittle ahead of them but he was
still in school with all therest of them too.
So the three musketeers herehave got the three husbands who
were involved in the service andthen we who ended up involved
(07:56):
in the auxiliary.
Jerry Allhands (07:58):
Keeping it in the family more or less.
Mary Eunice Cole (08:00):
Yeah, we made a family out of the whole thing,
okay.
Jerry Allhands (08:03):
So for you it was 2008 as well.
Mary Eunice Cole (08:05):
I never looked at the date, but I've been
there ever since.
Jerry Allhands (08:09):
And we're glad you're here.
Mary Eunice Cole (08:09):
About the time I was wondering if I really
wanted to keep on doing it.
Mary Jo got elected presidentand I said, so long as she's
president, for sure I'm in here.
But as she and Alice got goingon the thing, things started
happening again.
On the thing, Things startedhappening again.
They ended up doing differentthings that we were not doing
(08:30):
before and being active in thecommunity and in other local
communities close by at hand,and so we felt good about
belonging to the auxiliarythat's something I'd like to ask
you.
Jerry Allhands (08:43):
What is the, what would you say is the one
biggest accomplishment that Unit28 has done in this membership
year, this 24-25 year?
Mary Eunice Cole (08:53):
The one biggest thing.
Mary Jo Abraham (08:56):
Well, we've done quite a few things this
past year.
We had a really in November.
We had a really great veteranDay program that people are
still talking about.
That they really enjoyed and itreally ministered to them with
our wonderful speaker that wehad Working with the Oxford VA
(09:17):
for the department I'm therepresentative and Alice is the
deputy for the state ofMississippi.
I'm the representative andAlice is the deputy for the
state of Mississippi and we hada really successful Veterans
Christmas gift shop that we did.
So those are the two thingsthat come to mind.
What else, alice?
Alice Barberi (09:35):
Well, of course, one of the other members, susan,
and I did a Veterans Dayprogram with one of the local
parochial schools, stElizabeth's, and had a real good
time doing that.
Of course, you knowelementary-aged children, and
they came in and I introducedthem to the latest branch of the
(09:59):
service.
Jerry Allhands (10:01):
The Space Force.
Alice Barberi (10:01):
Yeah, I know they kind of laughed about that too.
You know various ones, but itwas like, you know, they knew,
you know the Army, the Navy,they knew all those branches.
I said, but there's one more,and they were going like huh,
you know, and I said Space Force.
I said y'all probably want tojoin that one, you know, because
it's going to be full of tech,you know, for techie kids that's
(10:26):
the one to be.
So anyway, that was a lot offun.
Of course, like I said, you getmore than you give, because
just being in a room full ofchildren like that was it was,
it was great and what gradelevels was that?
uh, I guess these were probablylike maybe the fourth, fifth to
sixth grade or something likethat.
Yeah, say that they were theolder children at the school.
School goes from kindergartento sixth.
Jerry Allhands (10:49):
On the subject of school juniors, high school
juniors got an event coming upbetween their junior and senior
year girls state yes.
What are your plans for girlsstate in the Clarksdale,
Oklahoma County community?
Mary Jo Abraham (11:02):
Mary Eunice and I have been working for
probably 10 years or so withsome of the schools here in our
Delta area and we're reallylooking forward to it.
I have been asked to serve onthe department committee in
reorganizing Girls State in thestate of Mississippi and our
former director, angelaKilcrease, is coming back this
(11:23):
year to help get thingsorganized and just make some
changes that needed to be madewith the program.
But Mary Eunice and I have beenworking with the schools.
We attend the Awards Day eventsand acknowledge the juniors
that have attended andacknowledge the juniors that
(11:45):
have attended and give themtheir cords that are awarded to
them to wear with theirgraduation robes and one thing
and the other.
So we've been involved with itand we've gotten a really good
response from local schools withthat.
Jerry Allhands (12:00):
What are you looking for in a student to have
them go to Girls State?
Is there a requirement?
Is there something that you'relooking for in character, or
what makes a girl stand out thatyou want to send her to Girls
State or promote her to GirlsState?
Mary Jo Abraham (12:16):
Well, you know you really depend upon the
counselors that you work with atthe schools and they really
screen the girls for us and tellus that you know this is a
really great student, she'sinterested in government and one
thing and the other, so shewill be a really good candidate
Basically.
You know, if the counselorrecommends somebody, because now
(12:41):
the forms had changed for thelast several years that the
counselor had to sign off on theon the students.
That went, so pretty much we gobased upon their recommendation
to us and we rely on thechildren, the students.
Alice Barberi (12:58):
I mean going back to their schools and sharing
that they've had a goodexperience with their.
You know the other studentsthat are coming up, and so
sometimes you'll get people likesometimes I'll be out in the
community or something, andthey'll go oh yes, ma'am, I know
about it.
Or I'll say, well, you need tomake sure your daughter does
this, or whatever.
Oh yes, ma'am, we're going todo that Because, well, for one
(13:21):
thing, it's good for theirresume.
So they're already starting aresume, even when they're in
high school.
So you know, I mean, we didn'tstart a resume until later,
alice and I had gone out of town.
Mary Jo Abraham (13:33):
We were in Alabama.
Where were we?
Birmingham, birmingham, and wewalked into Buc-ee's.
We had our shirts on that saidGirl State and the young cashier
that was helping us she said oh, I see you're from Mississippi
and you're in Girl State.
She says I went in.
(13:54):
Whatever, she was Tennessee,some other state.
Jerry Allhands (13:57):
She was another state.
Mary Jo Abraham (13:59):
And she acknowledged that she was one of
the junior counselor and wenton to be a senior counselor.
So you never know wheresomebody's going to pop up and
you're going to have thatconnection that you're going to
be together.
Alice Barberi (14:12):
And you can't assume that somebody working at
Buc-ee's is just a minimum wage,because that's not the case.
Buc-ee's is a career these days.
Mary Eunice Cole (14:21):
Our daughter, mary E, ended up at Girl State
the year she was a junior andshe brought down her her
unicycle, so she campaignedusing her unicycle and a red,
white and blue dress I had madeher and she ended up, I think, a
representative for it and shemet a lot of people down there
(14:44):
and one of them actually wassomebody that called her in
later years to say that therewas an opening in the career
line that she had chosen andthat they needed a good person
down there to do that work andshe should go down to the Gulf
Coast, and she's been there eversince.
Jerry Allhands (15:05):
Wow, I see I get to say that I married a girls
state attendee, so I'm veryhappy about that.
Mary Eunice Cole (15:10):
Yeah, so I did good Looking forward to
hopefully my granddaughter going.
Jerry Allhands (15:13):
This year Got my fingers crossed, but it's a
great event.
I've been able to attendprobably eight or ten or more
events at Girls State over theyears as a past department
commander and as a districtcommander, department whatever,
but it was an event that Ienjoyed.
I've always enjoyed Girls stateand what goes on there, the
(15:38):
fact that that, just like boysstate, the girls are learning
government civic involvement,and it's a lot of fun they learn
teamwork, they learn to getalong with one another.
Alice Barberi (15:50):
I mean, when you go there they are, you know they
have their each littleindividual areas, but they are
so together and working together.
So I mean they learn a lotabout government, but they just
I think they learn a lot abouthow to work together, which
government should do.
Mary Jo Abraham (16:09):
And one of the main things that we hear about
that from girls that haveattended is the lasting
friendships that they that theyhave, just like Mary Eunice,
told about her daughter MaryElizabeth.
Jerry Allhands (16:21):
You, you just make forever friends, I hear
that a lot between girl stateand boy state is the connections
you can make, and the one thingI tell the boy state is take
out a pad well, now it's yourphone and put all of your
classmates names and phonenumbers in there and keep them,
because you're going to, youknow, maybe 10, 20 years down
the road somebody's going toremember you Right.
(16:43):
Whether you were the quiet guyin the corner or the loud
cheerleader up front, you'regoing to be remembered by
somebody.
Alice Barberi (16:49):
I don't think there are any quiet ones there.
No, it is a loud occasion.
Jerry Allhands (16:59):
What was Hattiesburg several years back?
I think I don't think there wasa quiet day there, I mean
between the cheers and theconstant talking.
But hey, everybody was happy.
Yeah, and we enjoyed that,enjoyed it.
When is Girl State this yearfor the department?
Does anyone know?
Mary Jo Abraham (17:15):
It'll be the.
I think it's the second week inJune.
Jerry Allhands (17:19):
Okay, all right.
Mary Jo Abraham (17:20):
And they're changing the timeline this year.
Oh, it was going to be Sundayall the way to Saturday, but
they've shortened it.
So graduation will be on Fridaythis time instead of and
they'll check in on Sunday.
Is it the 9th through the 13thor something I don't know?
Is it on here?
Yes, june, the 8th through the13th, and then we are returning
(17:42):
to the Ole Miss campus.
Jerry Allhands (17:45):
What's the?
Do you have a limit of how manygirls that your unit can send?
Mary Jo Abraham (17:52):
Mary Eunice and I have worked very diligently
to make sure that any girl thatwanted to go was not left behind
, that we would have the funds,because Mary Eunice sends the
letters to differentorganizations in our community
and we ask them to sponsor andto help us.
Jerry Allhands (18:11):
And get lots of support that way, do you?
Mary Jo Abraham (18:13):
We do.
Jerry Allhands (18:13):
yes, we have our list of people that have been
very faithful in helping us toaccomplish that let's pause for
a moment to hear from some ofthe people who've helped to make
this episode possible withtheir financial support.
We want to thank three peoplewho have invested in this
podcast and have made itpossible.
A very special thank you toDean and Judy Graves of Mount
(18:36):
Vernon, missouri, for yoursupport and belief and, without
a doubt, this podcast would nothave happened without the
constant encouragement of LauraAllhands from Clarksdale,
mississippi.
If you are enjoying thispodcast, please consider
becoming a sponsor, just asthese folks did.
Simply call us today at662-902-6658, and we'll give you
(18:57):
all the details.
And now back to this episode ofthe Veterans Sound Off Podcast,
moving on from Girl State tothe local events that you have
going on here.
What's coming up in the springfor you?
Mary Jo Abraham (19:11):
Well, we haven't really gotten that far
in our discussions.
The meeting that we had todaywas very minimal discussions on
everything.
But we know that we're workingwith Girls State.
We know that that's coming up.
Alice Barberi (19:29):
One of the things that she did mention is
something that we're doingthroughout the year.
The senior living facility heredoes weekly or I think they do
weekly bingo or something, andso they you know there would be
veterans out there or widows ofveterans and things like that so
we agreed to provide them withbingo items for their bingo
(19:57):
prizes, and so each of us haschosen a month to take the stuff
out there, go out and buy abunch of stuff from whatever you
know, just little small things,because of course they don't
want to clutter.
You know their space with stuffanymore, but anyway, but we do
that.
You know their space with stuffanymore, but anyway, but we do
(20:18):
that.
And then in the month of mayisn't it may that we uh, we
actually each of us takes a weekand we actually go out there
and call the bingo and take theprizes.
Mary Jo Abraham (20:26):
So yeah, so that's a lot of fun too we
figured that this was our way toum to help flowers manor
Retirement Community by doingthis, because they had a cut in
budget and this was our way ofgiving back to them.
We have some of our meetings,our monthly meetings.
We go out there because we havesome of our members that are
(20:46):
residents there and so we allget together and they helped us
in November to sign Christmascards for the veterans at the
Oxford VA.
So we really appreciated theirhelp and they were really
enthusiastic about being able tohelp us do that Small thing.
But it was a lot of blessingsthat we could see with that.
(21:09):
So this is our way of givingback.
Their activities director isreally great.
The administrator there, monica.
She said anytime y'all want tocome, you want to come every
month, you're welcome to come.
So we really appreciate theirhospitality and the chef is
wonderful.
He does a great job with thefoods.
So we eat out there and then wehave our meeting afterwards I
(21:30):
like the sound of that thechristmas cards are placed on
the breakfast trays for eachperson out at the VA.
Jerry Allhands (21:38):
Okay, tell me about the Christmas cards.
Mary Eunice Cole (21:40):
Oh, just buy.
You know, people buy Christmascards and bring them in for us
and we sit down there and signit.
You know, from your friend atthe VA, I mean at the American
Legion Auxiliary here inClarksdale, unit 28.
Va, I mean at the AmericanLegion Auxiliary here in
Clarksdale, unit 28.
And then we bring them as aclump of cards to the lady over
(22:01):
there.
And that's what she's talkingabout, about delivering them.
Also, there's something else wedo with cards and that is and
somebody just gave us this idealast year and that is all of
these cards that you get sent.
You know, in the mail you getfive of this and such kind of
cards in there.
Well, some of them are going tobe Christmas cards, some of them
are going to be get well thingsor birthday things and stuff
(22:22):
like that, and her idea was tocollect all of those cards and
bring them to the VA so that ifanybody's got a family member
with a birthday or somethinglike that, that they can go and
pick out one of those cards andthey'll help them sign them and
mail them.
Jerry Allhands (22:39):
I like that.
You got some great eventscoming up.
I appreciate that.
What Mary, eunice and I'm goingto throw you all on the spot
here.
So just think about this whatis your favorite memory of your
time in the auxiliary?
Mary Eunice Cole (22:53):
I've got to tell you a funny story.
Okay, last year when we had ournational chaplain come and
visit here, we were kind offrantic thinking about what we
wanted to give her.
Well, her dad was a member ofthe of the uh of the post here
had Past commander Past,commander right, and he had
(23:16):
donated the uniform he had wornwhen he was at the yeah, the
uniform.
Jerry Allhands (23:25):
The Virginia Military Institute, the Virginia
.
Mary Eunice Cole (23:26):
Military Institute and it hung around
over here for a few years andthey didn't know what to do with
it and so inspiration struck.
So I said okay, we presented itto her when she was here and
she was thrilled to death aboutit and I said we'll get it
cleaned and mail it to you.
(23:47):
Well, get it cleaned was nottoo bad.
It just took me a while tofigure out what to do with it
and I took it out to thecleaners out here at the
Westgate and the man wasthrilled to be able to do
something for one of oursoldiers and stuff, and so he
cleaned it.
(24:08):
But he said there's a littleproblem with it.
And I said what's that?
He said the top looks great.
But he said something hasgotten in and gotten the seat of
the pants.
So I didn't look to find outwhether that was still left, I
just left it folded up, just theway he sent it, and I put it in
(24:28):
a box and we mailed it to her.
She's never said anything aboutit since then, so I don't know
really how much it had looked,but the top looked good.
Jerry Allhands (24:37):
Might still be in the box, maybe there you go.
Mary Eunice Cole (24:40):
So I thought let her figure out what to do
with it from here.
You know it's her dad so we did.
We got that thing that checkedone off of the list of what we
needed to have over here forthem to just let mess up, you
know, when it was something thatsomebody had treasured and that
she herself treasured, and thatwas Brister.
Brister's dad.
Jerry Allhands (25:01):
Okay, yeah, and it had his name in it in the
uniform.
Oh, when I got it down so and Iknow she's married now, so I'm
trying to remember her.
Mary Eunice Cole (25:13):
He was a SEAL.
Jerry Allhands (25:14):
Brister Thomas.
There was a joke I was going tomake there but being a SEAL,
I'm really terrified to makethat joke.
Mary Eunice Cole (25:20):
I just don't want to go.
Jerry Allhands (25:24):
Alice, what was your, your favorite memory of
your time with the auxiliary?
Alice Barberi (25:28):
Oh well, I don't know, but I guess I would have
to say I was.
In fact I was thinking about itlast night.
Um, but so the chambergraciously allows us to collect
for the poppies on the lastfriday of may, for we collect
money for our poppy fund, whichis money that goes straight to
(25:50):
the vet.
So I have to.
We either use it for somethingat the VA, a nursing home or
whatever comes up.
So anyway, they allow me to godown there and collect.
It's a community event and sothey have musicians that are on
the stage entertaining.
That's the purpose of the eventanyway.
So a couple, couple of yearsago, this local musician, who
(26:17):
was a wonderful violinist,anyway, so she was one of the
entertainers and we neededsomebody to play the national
anthem and she did.
It was absolutely gorgeous,beautiful, I think.
The whole crowd.
You know normally when you'rein a public setting and there
(26:38):
are musicians on the stage,there are people milling around
and talking and you knoweverything.
People stopped to listen.
It was a beautiful thing.
Jerry Allhands (26:47):
I would have liked to have heard that one
Interesting Mary Jo.
Mary Jo Abraham (26:54):
Well, there's so many wonderful things that
we've done over the years I mean, like you know, Alice and I
participated in Christmasparades and all the things we've
told you about with the OxfordVA that we've done but I think
one of the most interestingthings and interesting occasions
(27:16):
that we've had Over the yearswe've done many Veterans Day
programs, not only here at thePost but also at Flowers Manor,
and probably one of the mostmemorable of those programs
programs was when emily bailey,who is now a resident there at
flowers manor.
She was our chaplain forumpteen years and emily was on
(27:39):
the program to tell us aboutrosie the riveter, because that
was what she had done herself.
She experienced that and shewould go on and start talking
about.
You know how she?
Um showed us what her weddingdress looked like when she got
married.
She showed us a picture, hershoes that she wore.
She brought all thismemorabilia with her to make her
(28:02):
point of her presentation.
I want you to know that peopleare still asking where she is
and they would still like tolisten to some of the stories
that she told.
Real quickly.
She worked at um airplanefactory during the war and she
talked about that because shewas so little that she would get
in the nose of the airplane asthey were riveting and, you know
(28:24):
, doing what they had to do onthe outside and she would talk
about that.
She would go to lunch and comeback and go find her a spot to
go take an afternoon nap becauseshe fit in there and nobody
would ever know that she wasthere.
So she was one of our bestspeakers that we have had, other
than actual military that havetold us about some of the things
(28:46):
that they've gone through ortell us their opinions about
different things.
But that probably is on the topten, probably the top five.
Jerry Allhands (28:57):
All the things that you do here, with the many
programs that you do theVeterans Day, memorial Day
programs, all those sort ofthings how do you get the word
out to the public that this isgoing to happen?
Mary Jo Abraham (29:09):
We send flyers, I email the churches in the
community so that they can putus in their church bulletin and
Wednesday night services orwhatever.
And we've gone through thenewspaper, write letters to the
editor and one thing and theother that we've just the best
way that we can Now with the,you know, social media, social
(29:32):
media, the way that that it isyou've got so many more
alternatives other than justgetting on the phone and calling
somebody or telling alice tospread the word at work or
something like that.
Jerry Allhands (29:42):
You know so speaking of social media with
with the group that you've gothere, do you have a facebook
page or website or anything forthis, this unit?
Mary Jo Abraham (29:51):
we do most of our communication internally
through Messenger, but we do puta lot of things on Facebook,
Either my personal account orthe American Legion Auxiliary
for the state of Mississippialso has as well as the American
Legion for the state ofMississippi.
Jerry Allhands (30:09):
Is the state page?
Is it open to the public or doyou just have to be a member?
Mary Jo Abraham (30:15):
state page.
Is it open to the public or doyou just have to be a member and
be?
I think it's.
I think it's private.
I don't think it's um foreverybody to um to have access
to it if somebody wanted to jointhis unit, how would they go
about doing that?
Jerry Allhands (30:24):
who?
Mary Jo Abraham (30:25):
where would I tell you about that?
Alice Barberi (30:26):
she's our membership chairman, all right
well, I'll be happy to give theman application and they have to
.
You have to if you're a spouseor whatever, then you're the
veteran has to be a member ofthe post or a post somewhere,
and or else, if they're alive,right if they're alive.
(30:49):
If they're deceased, of course,you just have to have proof
that they are a veteran.
They're by you are eligible,okay, and then I think it can be
Mary Jo, help me with this,please, your grandfather or
somebody like that a closefamily member.
Jerry Allhands (31:10):
Grandfather father, stepfather, you can get
a connection somewhere there.
Mary Eunice Cole (31:13):
But right, we don't.
Mary Jo Abraham (31:14):
We want you to or it can be your brother, it
can be yourself it could beyourself as a veteran, yeah well
, yeah, you can be dual membersof both the legion and the
auxiliary.
Alice Barberi (31:26):
Let it.
Let me say this too, when Isaid spouse, uh, this is
something that's kind of newover the last couple of years I
guess I'm not sure how long it'sbeen in effect, we can have men
in the American LegionAuxiliary.
Historically it was a ladies'auxiliary program, but now,
(31:48):
since you can have women who arein the Legion and they can have
a male spouse, and they canjoin our unit too, and we would
welcome them.
Jerry Allhands (31:59):
I know that for a lot of organizations people
get us confused.
To give you an example, I'llsay I'm with the American Legion
and say, oh, you're with theVFW or you're with the DAV, well
, yeah, I'm in thoseorganizations.
But today I'm representing theAmerican Legion, in your case,
the American Legion Auxiliary.
(32:20):
Do you find that you getconfused with other
organizations and what are youdoing to change that persona?
I mean to make it clear you'rethe American Legion Auxiliary.
Mary Jo Abraham (32:33):
That happens all the time.
Jerry Allhands (32:35):
Right.
Mary Jo Abraham (32:35):
And that's kind of one of my pet peeves.
To give you a little bit ofbackground, we are a nonprofit
organization.
We were established by the USCongress in 1919.
So, in other words, any changesthat we make has to go back
through Congress.
Alice was talking a few minutesago about men being able to be
(32:56):
members.
Well, the criteria for that isyour wife has to be your legal
spouse, your legal female spousehas to be a member of the
American Legion in order for youto be a member of the auxiliary
.
So we're independent of thelegion.
In our individual units, in ourmemberships, our officers, we
(33:21):
have to, you know, we have tofile with the irs that we are
503b, that we're, you know, anon-profit organization.
We have our own bylaws,everything.
We are an umbrella of theAmerican Legion because it's the
auxiliary, it's the sons of theAmerican Legion, american
(33:41):
Legion riders, all of us.
You have to have an existingAmerican Legion post before you
can be established.
So we are 105 years strong andour main objective, of course,
is to serve and assist theAmerican Legion.
Being the auxiliary and we are,the Legion has its own
(34:20):
guidelines that it goes by andthe auxiliary has their own as
well.
Jerry Allhands (34:26):
So again you get somebody that confuses you with
another service organization.
I guess you just smile and youknow, nod and remind them that
we are the American Legionauxiliary Exactly.
All right, all right.
So again we get somebody comingto Clockstone Mississippi.
Y'all meet on what day and whattime.
Mary Jo Abraham (34:48):
The third Wednesday of the month,
september through June and at 12o'clock noon here at the
american legion hut, unless wego somewhere off-site and go to
another location and thelocation here is 700 spruce
street, clockstone mississippicorrect all right anything
(35:09):
outside that would let somebodyknow this is an american legion
post.
Jerry Allhands (35:12):
Is there I something obvious outside,
Something very large?
Mary Jo Abraham (35:16):
Yeah, a tank.
Yep, we usually tell them thatthere's a Sherman tank in the
front yard.
If you miss it, you miss wherewe are located.
The name is on the front of thebuilding, so that identifies us
.
Jerry Allhands (35:28):
And a very large flagpole out front.
Yeah we're happy about that.
For anybody that does come toPost 28, unit 28 in Clarksville,
mississippi, most of the timewe pull around to the back, the
gates open.
You come inside and we'll behappy to see you there, and
you're always welcome here atthis post.
Mary Eunice Cole (35:44):
Exactly.
Mary Jo Abraham (35:46):
Well, Jerry, thank you so much for having us
today and for the interview.
Jerry has interviewed us thisweek, but there will be others
that will also have theopportunity to tell their story
and you can learn a little bitmore about our different units
or organizations that areperhaps working with us to
(36:07):
achieve our goal of taking careof our veterans.
Mary Eunice Cole (36:10):
Jerry you've always been full of heart and
appreciation for all of theveterans and you're one of them
and it's so great that you'redoing this podcast and that
you're putting out the effort toreach everybody.
We would like to inviteeverybody to come back over here
to Clarksdale and to be with usat unit 28 on our Monday
(36:33):
meeting I mean our Wednesdaymeetings and again, they're the
third Wednesday of each month at12 o'clock noon, and if you
bring your lunch, you can comeat 1130 and eat with us first.
But come and be with us, comeand join us and give us the
support that we need to help theveterans too for us.
(36:53):
So y'all have a good day and bewith Jerry next week.
Jerry Allhands (36:57):
And that was our visit with the Unit 28 American
Legion Auxiliary in Clarksdale.
Be sure to join us next Mondaymorning as we visit with another
member of the American Legionfamily.
A very special thank you toJonathan Michael Fleming for his
musical talents.
You can find his CDs and videoson Spotify, Amazon Music and
YouTube.
We hope you've enjoyed thisepisode and look forward to your
(37:19):
feedback and ask that yousubscribe too and share the
Veterans Sound Off podcast withyour friends and family.
If you have a comment,suggestion or questions, or you
would like to become a supporterof this podcast, please send an
email to jdallhands atoutlookcom that's
J-D-A-L-L-H-A-N-D-S at outlook.
(37:40):
com, or by calling 662-902-6658,and we'll get back to you as
soon as possible.
This has been a production ofAll Hands Media LLC, with
offices in Rena Lara,Mississippi.
All rights reserved.
Hard work, we do it for play.
(38:03):
Hard work, hard work.
Mary Jo Abraham (38:04):
It's what they say Hard work, hard work.
I earn my pay.
Hard work work, hard work work,hard work work.
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