HONOLULU, Hawaii (American Legion Auxiliary announcement) - Country music legend
Barbara Mandrell has been named the 2005 American Legion Auxiliary Lifetime Achievement recipient for her qualities of patriotism, love of country, and support of America's service members throughout the years. Although the American Legion Auxiliary has given the 'Woman of the Year' award since 1984, this is the first year that the organization has ever awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award. Past recipients of the 'Woman of the Year' include Erma Bombeck,
Elizabeth Dole and
Laura Bush.
According to the President of the American Legion Auxiliary, Sandi Dutton, 'She's always had a place for God and Country in all that she does and has always been a firm supporter of our men and women in uniform.'
Mandrell will be honored on Tuesday, August 23, in the Kamehameha II Ballroom of the Hawai'i Convention Center at the American Legion Auxiliary National Convention in Honolulu, Hawaii, where Auxiliary members, alternates and distinguished guests will convene from Aug. 19 - 25.
Says Mandrell, 'To come from people who are so patriotic and give so much themselves, it is very deeply meaningful that they would choose me for this award.'
Mandrell adds, 'I wish there was a way that every single American could travel far enough to see just how blessed we are to be Americans.'
Although too many to name, Mandrell has a long list of credits which make her a great candidate for this prestigious award. She learned the value of American freedom at a young age. Through school, she worked almost exclusively at military bases in California. She traveled overseas to Japan, Thailand, Philippines, Okinawa, Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Guam, Germany and Holland to perform and visited many military hospitals during her travels. She also guested on military radio shows. She performed at the Marine Corp Ball in Hawaii while still in high school and headlined a concert for returning Gulf War veterans in Washington D.C. for over a million people.
Both her father and her husband are members of the American Legion. She has flown with both the Thunderbirds and the Blue Angels and skydived with the Golden Knights. She also went through Navy pilot water survival course, including Delbert Dunker, parachute drag and pressure chamber, in preparation for flight in F-18 to land on an aircraft carrier 5 times.
The Hawai'i Convention Center is hosting a variety of activities throughout the week, including national executive committee meetings, divisional caucuses, nomination of officers and recognition of the achievements from the past year.
American Legion Auxiliary convention delegates and guests will hear from several noted speakers, including: The Honorable R. James Nicholson, Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
During National President Sandi Dutton's administration (‘04-'05), the American Legion Auxiliary actively pursued projects that benefited more than 390,000 children and its members volunteered 419,346 hours on behalf of America's youth. Always community minded, the American Legion Auxiliary also donated $115,055 to Children's Miracle Network and $4.3 million to veterans through its Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation initiative.
The American Legion Auxiliary is the largest patriotic women's service organization in the world, with nearly 1 million members. Affiliated with The American Legion, the Auxiliary is a veterans' service organization with members in nearly 10,000 communities.
The organization sponsors volunteer programs on the national and local levels, focusing on three major areas: veterans, young people and the community.
