Information for ALA Units
Why should we sponsor a citizen?
Sponsoring a girl to attend ALA Illini Girls State is a great way to support the youth of your community. You can work with the high school counselor or prinicpal to find the right girl or girls to send. This provides you with community exposure as well. Members, this is OUR program. Please take an active part in selecting your applicants.
You should also select an alternate at the time you select your applicant should your girl be unable to attend at the last minute. Qualified citizens and alternates will be accepted at ALA Illini Girls State until the opening session on Sunday evening.
Do not send a young lady just because she belongs to the American Legion Auxiliary or her family belongs. She may not be interested in attending.
NO REFUNDS WILL BE ISSUES AFTER JUNE 1, 2024. Therefore, it is important that you have an alternate in place in case of unforseen circumstances.
1. HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO SEND A GIRL TO ALA ILLINI GIRLS STATE?
The cost to send a girl is $300. You can and should send your fee in as soon as possible. There is no need to have your applicant yet. We will know you intend to send someone and will hold a spot for that girl.
2. WE ARE A SMALL UNIT, WE CAN'T AFFORD TO SEND ANYONE.
There are many ways to raise money to send a girl to ALA Illini Girls State. You can hold bake sales at your post events or at a local business (ie bank, grocery store, physician's clinic). You can seek monetary gifts from local businesses or other organizations to sponsor the girl. Remember, you are the sponsoring Unit, so any money that you receive should go through your Unit before going to Department. If you have an interested girl, but will be unable to aquire the funds, please reach out to Department before turning a potential citizen away.
3. WHERE DO WE SEND THE APPLICATION AND WHEN IS IT DUE?
All applications should be sent to:
American Legion Auxiliary Department of Illinois Headquarters
P. O. Box 1426
Bloomington, IL 61702-1426
Applications will be accepted until quota of participants is reached
4. ONCE WE PAY THE $300, WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO?
Once you have your applicant chosen, you want to stay in contact with her. There are many orientations around the state. You should accompany your applicant to one of the orientations if possible. If that is not possible, be sure you get the orientation information to her. It is vital that she makes every effort to attend an orientation. This will give her an opportunity to ask questions about the program. It will also give the parents an opportunity to ask questions. Orientations will be given by members of the American Legion Auxiliary Illini Girls State Committee.
Check back with your applicant to be sure she has received all of the necessary paperwork from the Department Office. The Citizen and her parent/guardian will be receiving an email with instructions for accessing the necessary paperwork for completing her registration.
Some Units provide the applicant with a small gift bag of essentials like markers, construction paper, a disposable camera, or other things she may need during her week. This is not required and is up to each indivdual Unit.