Mail Call: That building is more than just a building

Editor’s note: This letter originally was published as a guest column in the Brainerd Dispatch.

The American Legion was founded in 1919 and was recognized by Congress that year with a national charter. The organization was created to advocate for veterans of World War I.

Over the years, the Legion has continued to grow and has supported hundreds of thousands of veterans. Among its many achievements, the Legion was instrumental in the creation of the G.I. Bill and the U.S. Veterans Bureau, which later became the Veterans Administration.

The Legion’s mission is, “To enhance the well-being of America’s veterans, their families, our military and our community by our devotion to mutual helpfulness.”

Today, the Legion has four pillars that represent their service and advocacy missions: Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation, National Security, Americanism and Children & Youth.

These pillars guide the organization in the creation and support of programs they operate. Under the pillar of Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation, the Legion has supported efforts to help homeless veterans, eliminating the claims backlog at the VA and supporting training for veterans to establish new careers after military service.

Under the pillar of National Security, the Legion supports bringing home POW/MIAs and ensuring we have a ready military force supported by the nation. Under the pillar of Americanism, the Legion supports voter education, Boys State, Legion Baseball and Scouting, as well as Pledge of Allegiance education for children. Under the pillar of Children & Youth, the Legion has sought to live up to the selfless service established by its founders back in 1919, when they thought of the thousands of children left behind by those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their actions in WWI.

The Legion has raised and donated millions of dollars to support sick or in-need children, created numerous scholarships, and supported families struggling with the loss of a servicemember. They also advocate on behalf of those fighting against social ills such as child pornography, teen suicide, drug abuse and violence in the home.

The Legion is much more than that building downtown. The American Legion is made up of men and women who served their country and are looking for ways to support their fellow veterans and their communities.

The American Legion is supporting young people throughout the Brainerd Lakes area through numerous programs including Scouting, cheerleading, 4-H, Boys and Girls State leadership programs, and school programs. The Legion supports these programs by chartering units, providing leaders and financial support to keep these programs available for youth. The Legion is working to support veterans in need throughout the lakes area through its support of homeless veterans initiatives, support for other organizations such as Salvation Army, Soup Kitchen, local food banks and support for those seeking care though the VA medical centers.

The American Legion cannot, however, continue to provide support to these programs and the numerous others without support from our local community! While the Legion is not just the building downtown in several of our local communities, so much of what the Legion does starts there.

Without patrons visiting the building and enjoying refreshments or taking part in charitable gaming, the Legion cannot afford to support these worthy programs. Without veterans joining the ranks of The American Legion, our level of influence over lawmakers becomes diminished.

Therefore, if you’re a veteran, we welcome you to come to an American Legion post and join our organization and get involved in the activities of the organization that has provided you some of the great benefits that support veterans.

If you’re not a veteran we still want you to stop in at the post and enjoy some refreshments or take part in some of our public events that support our communities. Our posts offer great dining experiences and also can provide a wonderful venue for a large gathering, such as a wedding reception or family reunion.

Kenneth Toole

Iraq War Army veteran

Nisswa Post 627