Full agenda, plenty of travel in store for president
JEFFERSON – With the newest veterans cemetery slated for construction in Washington County, the election of a Greene County woman as state president of the American Legion Auxiliary came at an ideal time. Ann Coneybeer of Jefferson was elected at the auxiliary’s convention in Monroeville last month and plans to devote time and funds to the fledgling veterans cemetery, located near Interstate 79.
As the state-level head of the American Legion Auxiliary, she will work alongside her counterparts from the Legion to complete their shared goal of assisting veterans.
“We work hand in hand. We consider ourselves part of the Legion family: the Legion, the auxiliary and the Sons of the Legion,” she said. “We are organized for the purpose of serving the veteran and his family, and our various programs are all set up for that purpose.”
In her new post, Coneybeer will have a variety of duties, such as overseeing the auxiliary councils in each American Legion district in the state.
“We travel all over the state, visiting various units and councils. We take part in promoting the programs, getting new membership, etc.”
According to Coneybeer, one of the main projects for the auxiliary besides the new veterans cemetery is the attempt to sway federal lawmakers into supporting anti-flag-desecration laws.
Her new post will require her to travel frequently, a task she is prepared to undertake with a little help. Coneybeer will have ample support from the auxiliary headquarters in Harrisburg and a department-supplied car.
“In Harrisburg, the secretary of treasury pretty much keeps me totally informed, and then I go and do whatever’s necessary,” said Coneybeer.
She plans to split her presidential project into three smaller pieces, one for each area of the state. Besides being split geographically, her project is designed to cover all veterans, no matter what their status.
The eastern project will cover those currently serving, the central focuses on those who are hospitalized, and in the western part of the state, money will go to deceased veterans.
For veterans in the central section of the state, she plans to work on the veterans’ fun night for hospitalized servicemen, which includes boat trips and perhaps an exclusive day at Hershey Park. She also indicated that there were hospitals in the center part of the state that need money.
In the eastern part of the state, Coneybeer will give money to the USO for a support group for soldiers serving in Iraq.
In western Pennsylvania, Coneybeer will devote a “large share” of the money raised for the state’s newest veterans cemetery. The project money set for the cemetery will be put into a fund and then be used as the cemetery nears completion. Coneybeer will have some degree of control over how the funds are used. The cemetery is expected to be completed in 2005 or 2006.
Although she has participated in them before, one of the events she is looking forward to as department president is the Christmas visits to hospitalized veterans. According to Coneybeer, the American Legion and Legion auxiliary tour all 17 veterans hospitals in Pennsylvania around Christmas time. They visit each veteran and bring gifts, both tangible and emotional.
“I’ve been on the tours a couple times before. We take them food they don’t normally have at the hospitals and magazines and play bingo with them,” said Coneybeer. “Some don’t have visitors, so when we go in there they’re really pleased to see us. Everyone should really go on the tour one time and see how appreciative the veterans are, and maybe they’d go more often.”
The Christmas tour begins in the western part of the state and moves east, usually lasting 10 days.
Coneybeer, a member of Unit 954, was eligible to join the auxiliary through the services of her four brothers in World War II, but she did so in 1963 because of her sister.
Her reasons for joining the auxiliary were not hard to explain: “My sister-in-law was a unit president and she needed membership.”
The 69-year-old has spent much of her life as a member of the auxiliary in a variety of positions. “I’ve served almost every office there is,” she said.
She also worked for Bishoff Creamery in Waynesburg for 30 years and was president when she retired.
Coneybeer last held the position of department vice president, but she did not move into the presidency automatically.
She has served on the executive board for 28 years but has refrained from running for president for personal reasons.