Foley, Ala. — An Elberta woman known throughout Baldwin County for her quiet dedication to military veterans has been named the American Legion Auxiliary’s Volunteer of the Year for the entire state of Alabama.
Judi Wheat received the honor during a recent district meeting held at American Legion Post 99 in Foley, with Alabama State American Legion Auxiliary President Carla Biniecki presenting the award in person. According to family members who shared the news on social media, the recognition caught Wheat completely off guard.
Biniecki praised Wheat’s body of work during the ceremony, describing her nomination submission as “phenomenal.” The honor also puts Wheat in contention for the organization’s national Member of the Year title — she has already cleared the third round of judging at the national level and, in Biniecki’s words, is “holding her own by her accomplishments.”
A Legacy Rooted in Loss
Much of what drives Wheat’s volunteer work traces back to the memory of her late husband, Don Wheat, who served as a sergeant in the U.S. Air Force from April 1969 to February 1973 during the Vietnam War era and remained an active American Legion member for years afterward. He died on September 21, 2023. Family members say Wheat’s service to veterans since then has been carried out largely in his honor.
Wheat’s daughter, Shelley Patterson, wrote on Facebook that her mother has spent years quietly helping veterans without ever seeking recognition for it, and predicted that Wheat would insist other volunteers deserved the honor more than she did. Patterson described her mother’s compassion as simply part of who she is, day in and day out.
A Steady Presence at the Veterans Home
Much of Wheat’s volunteer work centers on the William F. Green Veterans Home, where she has built long-standing relationships with residents. She organizes monthly Bingo games for veterans at the Foley American Legion post and coordinates themed parties and events throughout the year.
Around the holidays, she also helps run a Christmas store that lets veterans choose and give gifts to their loved ones at no cost — one of several ways her commitment to the home extends well beyond any single scheduled event.
For her family, the state honor represents something bigger than a running total of volunteer hours. As Patterson put it in her post, the award reflects the genuine care her mother has shown toward veterans and everyone around her throughout a lifetime of service — capping the message with pride in her mother’s continued dedication to Alabama’s veteran community.