If you are a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, you’ve likely heard the name Helen Colby Small. She joined Ross Wilcox Unit 79 in Burlington, Wis., on Feb. 20, 1929, and upon her death in 1969, she bequeathed the bulk of her estate to the American Legion Auxiliary National Headquarters. In her last will and testament, she declared, “All the rest and residue of my property of every nature, real, personal, and mixed, I give, devise, and bequeath to the American Legion Auxiliary national organization with headquarters at Indianapolis, Ind., to be used by said organization as the officers thereof shall see fit.” 
 
In spring 1970, the estate was settled and the ALA received approximately $106,000 — the equivalent of about $936,000 today — and a transformational gift with unlimited potential. Then-National President Marcella Davidson (1969-1970) declared the funds would be used to start the Auxiliary Emergency Fund, and Small’s gift would be endowed so the fund could live in perpetuity.
 
Small deserves recognition as a philanthropic trailblazer, but Davidson deserves equal credit. She ensured Small’s gift was strategically used and laid the foundation for the Auxiliary Emergency Fund. Thanks to Small’s bequest and Davidson’s vision, the Auxiliary continues to assist members in financial distress by providing AEF grants of up to $3,000. Small’s fiscal planning ensured her generosity would live on, and her example reminds us that reviewing our own financial and estate plans today can help secure the future of the Auxiliary’s mission.
 
As we ease into 2026, February is a great time to review finances, begin tax preparations, and update estate documents. Gifts like Small’s do not go as far without written instructions from the donor, and there’s no better time to document your giving intentions. Oftentimes, donors include beloved organizations in their last will and testament as a final act of devotion. It is a way for them to ensure the mission work continues after their time serving has come to an end, but none of that can happen if you’re not intentional about your wishes. 
 
To learn more about your giving options or to notify ALA National Headquarters of your intent to include the Auxiliary or American Legion Auxiliary Foundation in your estate plans, please contact our Development Division at development@ALAforVeterans.org. Learn more about your planned giving options by visiting the ALA’s website at www.ALAforVeterans.org/planned-giving. 
 
We also honor the generosity of our Legacy Society members, whose planned gifts will continue to support ALA programs for generations. Many thanks to: 
Ann Crawford
Ann Fournier
Anne Parker
Carlene Ashworth
Dr. Coral May Grout
Desireé Stoy
Doris Hammeke
Jane Montaney
Janet Jefford
Linda Boone
Linda Newsome
Lisa Williamson
Lynda Lancaster-Loyd
Marybeth Revoir
Nancy Brown-Park
Patricia Flaagan
Patricia Murray
Rita Navarreté
Sandra Sowers
Sharon Conatser
Tamara Shumate
 
We also remember those who have passed — In Memoriam legacy gifts that have left a permanent mark on the Auxiliary’s mission:
Aileen Chitwood
Arvilla Norris
Barbara K. Smith
Ethel Wolansky
Grace S. Schulz
Helen Colby Small
Inez M. Shaffer
Jean Bender
Jeri Greenwell
Joyce Starr
Lillian Vitelli
Lois Lemke
Lydia Pickup
Marnette B. Ragon
Peggy Thomas
Rachel A. Grout