Visit American Legion Auxiliary units across the country and you will find volunteers ranging from Junior members to individuals serving well into their 90s — proving that age is just a number when it comes to making a difference.
 
Lillian McGivern, a member of Merkel-Bockholdt ALA Unit 107, Keystone, Iowa, is one such member who is engaged and energized by the Auxiliary’s mission. Now in her 90s, McGivern has spent more than 30 years dedicating her time to a monthly event that serves female veterans. Her commitment to the event began in 1995 as part of her Iowa department president project to serve women veterans at the Iowa Veterans Home (IVH).
 

Each month, the women residing at the facility are invited to an afternoon of bingo, refreshments, and social time. Because these residents live in three separate buildings scattered across the campus, many of them only see each other at the monthly social.
 
The idea for the event struck McGivern in the 1990s while she was volunteering at IVH. She noticed that many female residents missed the same thing from home — the card clubs where they would get together with other women to play games and socialize. To fill this void, McGivern, along with then-Iowa 3rd District President Lois Slaba and then-IVH representative Pauline Kinder, decided to create the Ladies’ Social Hour for these women. 
 
“Our first social was January 1996 with 12 ladies present,” said McGivern. “They were so pleased and asked us to keep coming. And the rest is history.” 
 
The event always includes the Pledge of Allegiance, a celebration of the month’s birthdays, joke time, 
bingo, and door prizes. “We celebrate different months and their respective holidays in a special way,” she said. “In May, it’s a memorial service for our deceased ladies and their family members.”
 
Though Slaba and Kinder have since passed away, the tradition lives on. Today, McGivern’s daughter-in-law helps out each month, alongside IVH Volunteer Services Coordinator Laurel Degelau and Iowa ALA Hospital Representative Wendy Riggle. And proving once again that our age doesn’t define us, ALA Junior members volunteer at the summer gatherings and occasionally throughout the school year. 
 
In 2025, McGivern was recognized for her dedication and service. She was honored as an Iowa Veterans Home Volunteer of the Year Distinguished Service Award for 33 years of service and dedication to the ALA Ladies’ Social. 
 
“Needless to say, I was very surprised to be named IVH Volunteer of the Year in 2025,” she said, “and humbled when there are many other volunteers deserving recognition.” 
 
Despite being in her 90s, McGivern doesn’t miss a Ladies’ Social. The only time she has missed a monthly gathering was during the COVID-19 pandemic. 
 
“These ladies at IVH — both veterans and spouses of veterans — have become family to us. We share hugs, family photos, and fun times together,” she said. “It has made me more aware of loneliness and recognize the importance of a smile, a listening ear, and the joy of being happy together.”