Veterans in INDYCAR: Keagan Baker

Source: April 25, 2024

Throughout the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES, American Legion Social Media Manager Steven B. Brooks will be talking with veterans who work within the INDYCAR SERIES, whether for Chip Ganassi Racing, INDYCAR itself, or other racing teams, tracks or entities involved in the series.

This week we're talking with U.S. Air Force veteran Keagan Baker, who for two months has worked as a front-end mechanic on Josh Mason's No. 21 Abel Motorsports car in the INDY NXT series.

Baker – who served in the Air Force from 2020 to 2022 as an Aircraft Fuel Systems Mechanic at Eglin Air Force Base – talks about what led him to military service, what the experience has been like working in motorsports, and how he's happy to see the veteran suicide issue receive attention throughout the INDYCAR SERIES.

Steven Brooks: What led you to joining the Air Force?

Keagan Baker: I really wanted to fly planes, but you have to go to school for a long time for that. So, the next best thing is to work on them.

Brooks: How did you go from working on planes to working on INDY NXT race cars, and what has that experience been like?

Baker: Man, I just happened to be in the right place at the right time and meeting the right people. And it's the best. It's not too much different from working on jets. It's just a lot smaller. They're about the same, though. A race car is just an upside-down jet. It's been pretty fun.

Brooks: What mindset or skill did you have to use in the Air Force that you're able to continue using in civilian life?

Baker: The teamwork aspect, definitely. It translates over pretty good. We all here together a lot and are with each other 24/7, which is pretty much how it was in the Air Force, too. That translated pretty easy.

Brooks: The American Legion, through its sponsorship deal with Chip Ganassi Racing, has been able to promote its Be the One veteran suicide prevention mission, and that promotion has been elevated by INDYCAR. As a veteran, what does it mean to you to see that issue being brought to millions of race fans?

Baker: I think it's a great thing. I have lost some friends to that, so I think it's good that it's getting out there and getting noticed, and people are really paying attention to it now.

Next article: China is ‘moving at breathtaking speed in space,' Space Force general says in Tokyo

China is ‘moving at breathtaking speed in space,' Space Force general says in Tokyo

Source: April 25, 2024

U.S. Space Command's new leader warned of China's rapidly advancing space capabilities this week following meetings with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts.

 "We're seriously focused at U.S. Space Command on our pacing challenge, which is the People's Republic of China," Space Force Gen. Stephen Whiting told reporters during an online press conference from Japan's capital Wednesday.

The Tokyo stop was part of a tour that has included visits to South Korea and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii. Beijing is "moving at breathtaking speed in space," Whiting said, noting that China is rapidly developing a range of counter-space weapons that threaten American space capabilities.

"They're also using space to make their terrestrial forces — their army, their navy, their marine corps, their air force — more precise, more lethal and more far-ranging," he said.

The general, who took charge of Space Command in January, also met Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara and top military leaders. Whiting held up Japan's new Space Operations Group, which he also visited this week, as an example during his talks in Japan and South Korea.

"Their focus on space domain awareness along with ours to keep track of those threats in space that we see — and many of those are emanating from China — has put an impetus on us developing improved space domain awareness capability," he told reporters.

Japan is preparing to field a deep-space radar that will provide better understanding of what China is doing in space, Whiting said. The U.S. is partnering with Japan to launch new satellites that will monitor space from orbit, he said, adding that he visited a Mitsubishi satellite factory during his trip. Chinese activities on the Moon are also on Space Command's radar.

"Those appear to be exploratory and scientific on the surface, but the Chinese aren't very transparent with what they do in space," he said. "So, we hope there's not a military component to that, but we would certainly welcome more transparency."

Whiting said he's interested in having space domain awareness reach lunar orbit. "We want to make sure that any activities that happen on the Moon are indeed for science purposes and exploration and that no one is going to the Moon for military purposes," he said.

Space Command operated from 1985 to 2002 and was reestablished in August 2019. It differs from the Space Force, an independent service branch established in December 2019.

Space Command guards America's space assets and protects U.S. and allied forces from potential space-enabled attacks, Whiting said. The U.S. military has been collaborating and training in the space domain with Japan and South Korea, the general added.

"We find that when we operate in a unified fashion with our allies and partners, that builds deterrence and ensures that there will never be a day without space for our militaries and for our national populations," he said.

Whiting was next headed to Kwajalein Atoll, where the Air Force recently conducted its first hypersonic missile test in the Western Pacific.

Next article: INDYCAR heading South this weekend

INDYCAR heading South this weekend

Source: April 25, 2024

Fresh off a 13th-place finish – an eight-spot improvement from the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season opener – Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) rookie Linus Lundqvist and the rest of the racing series are shifting from the West Coast to the South for this weekend's Children's of Alabama Indy Grand Prix at Barber Motorsports Park.

Lundqvist will again be behind the wheel of the No. 8 American Legion Honda promoting Be the One and is coming off a strong showing in the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, where he rose to as high as eighth during the course of the race. Through two points races, Lundqvist currently sits three points behind CGR teammate Kyffin Simpson in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year points race.

Fellow CGR driver Alex Palou, who won the Children's of Alabama Grand Prix in 2021 on his way to his first NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship, is coming off a third-place finish last weekend. He's currently in third in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES points race after this week's disqualifications announcement for Josef Newgarden, who had won the season opener in St. Petersburg but had to vacate that win because of a "Push to Pass" parameters violation.

Palou will again be behind the wheel of the No. 10 DHL Honda that also features American Legion branding.

The 90-lap, 207-mile Children's of Alabama Indy Grand Prix takes place on a 2.3-mile permanent road course with 17 flowing turns and features 80 feet of elevation change that challenge drivers and engineers. A 45-foot-wide racing ribbon also makes it imperative for patience while setting up overtaking opportunities.

This weekend's broadcast schedule (all times ET):

·       Friday, April 26 – NTT INDCYAR SERIES Practice 1, 3:40-4:55 p.m. (Peacock).

·       Saturday, April 27 – NTT INDCYAR SERIES Practice 2, 12:15-1:15 p.m.; NTT INDYCAR SERIES qualifications, 3:30-5 p.m. (all Peacock).

·       Sunday, April 28 – NTT INDCYAR SERIES warmup, 10:15-10:45 a.m. (Peacock); INDY NXT race, 11:05 a.m.-12:20 p.m. (Peacock); NTT INDYCAR SERIES race, 1-4 p.m. (NBC and Peacock).

NTT INDYCAR SERIES notes:

·       Scott Dixon became the second winner in as many NTT INDYCAR SERIES races this season as he earned his 57th career victory April 21 at Long Beach. Dixon leads Colton Herta – who has recorded back-to-back podium finishes – by two points heading into the critical Month of May, which has more than 150 points on offer over the next four weeks with races at Barber Motorsports Park, Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.

·       The Children's of Alabama Indy Grand Prix powered by AmFirst will be the 14th NTT INDYCAR SERIES event conducted at Barber Motorsports Park. Active race winners who are expected to compete are: Will Power, Josef Newgarden, Alex Palou, Pato O'Ward and Scott McLaughlin.

·       Five drivers have won the race from the pole – Will Power in 2011, Ryan Hunter-Reay in 2013, Simon Pagenaud in 2016, Josef Newgarden in 2018 and Takuma Sato in 2019.

·       Scott Dixon has finished on the podium in nine of his 13 previous starts at Barber Motorsports Park – including six runner-up finishes – but he has yet to finish on the top step of the podium at the picturesque road circuit.

·       Three drivers have competed in every NTT INDYCAR SERIES race at Barber Motorsports Park – Scott Dixon, Will Power and Graham Rahal. All are entered this weekend.

·       Team Penske has seven wins at Barber Motorsports Park (2010, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2023). Andretti Global, Chip Ganassi Racing, Ed Carpenter Racing, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and Arrow McLaren have also won at the track. Andretti Global won in 2013 and 2014 with Ryan Hunter-Reay. Ed Carpenter Racing won with Josef Newgarden in 2015, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing won in 2019 with Takuma Sato, Chip Ganassi Racing won in 2021 with Alex Palou, and Arrow McLaren won in 2022 with Pato O'Ward.

·       Twenty of the 27 drivers entered in the event have competed in NTT INDYCAR SERIES races at Barber Motorsports Park. Ten entered drivers have led laps: Will Power 215, Josef Newgarden 141, Rinus VeeKay 58, Alex Palou 60, Romain Grosjean 57, Scott Dixon 46, Pato O'Ward 52, Graham Rahal 25, Scott McLaughlin 24 and Alexander Rossi 3.

·       Five NTT INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year contenders – Tom Blomqvist, Linus Lundqvist, Théo Pourchaire, Christian Rasmussen and Kyffin Simpson - are entered and will race an NTT INDYCAR SERIES car at Barber Motorsports Park for the first time alongside veteran driver Pietro Fittipaldi, also making his first Barber start.

·       Milestones: Romain Grosjean will attempt to make his 50th NTT INDYCAR SERIES start … Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 324th consecutive start, the second-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history.

 

Next article: Registration live for 2024 Legacy Run

Registration live for 2024 Legacy Run

Source: April 24, 2024

Registration for the 2024 American Legion Legacy Run is now live. Click here to register as a participant or a supporter.

This year's Legacy Run will kick off in Independence, Mo., on Aug. 18 and travel 1,100 miles through Missouri, Arkansas, and Mississippi, trekking the final leg across Lake Pontchartrain Causeway into the New Orleans area. American Legion Jefferson Post 267 in New Orleans is the final stop.

Along the route, riders will experience the scenery of the American Mid-South, which includes Scenic Hwy 23 (the Pig Trail,) Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, escorting the Vietnam Wall, visiting a veteran's home and veterans cemetery, and a huge surprise that will be kept under wraps until check-in. Prior to and along the route, Riders will raise money for The American Legion Veterans & Children Foundation (VCF), which is in its first year of being the fundraising project of the Legacy Run.

The foundation feeds and houses children of military personnel and veterans facing urgent, unexpected hardships through Temporary Financial Assistance grants. These grants prevent eviction, keep the power on and fulfill basic needs to hold a family together through difficult times.

The VCF also covers rigorous training and accreditation costs for American Legion claims experts who provide free representation for veterans and families applying for disability benefits, survivor assistance, GI Bill opportunities and more.

Last fall, American Legion Riders National Chairman Mark Clark talked about the importance of the VCF, calling it "the foundation of hope. "The American Legion Riders have always embraced doing something for the kids. This foundation does just that."

Those who complete registration to participate in the ride will receive a copy of their medical and release forms in a confirmation email. If you do not see a confirmation email, check your spam folder.

All riders must check in at Post 21 on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Upon check-in, you will receive your check-in packet containing your Legacy Run items and information. Later that day, a mandatory all-riders meeting will occur at 4:30 pm, covering day-to-day riding and safety points. Unless otherwise notified, Riders will be responsible for booking and paying for their own lodging at each overnight stop. Riders are expected to start each day with a full tank of gas at their expense. From kick stands up until the next overnight point is reached, registration fees will cover fuel and a meal, and other charges that occur at scheduled event stops.

Those who want to register to support the Legacy Run will receive a full check-in packet by mail; the same packet riders receive upon check-in. You will receive your packet after the national convention.   

For the purpose of personal safety and the safety of others, all riders must register for the Legacy Run for one or multiple days to participate. Non-registered Riders will not be allowed to join in or ride with the main body of the Legacy Run.

For more information, including safety requirements and a hotel list, click here. If you have any questions, you can email legacyrun@legion.org.  Registration will close on August 9, 2023.

Next article: Name change for pre-ALWS festival

Name change for pre-ALWS festival

Source: April 24, 2024

The 7th Inning Stretch Festival, the annual event held the weekend before the American Legion World Series in Shelby, N.C., as a thank-you to the community for its support, is getting a name change.

The redubbed American Legion World Series Festival will take place Aug. 10, with the Department of North Carolina continuing as presenting sponsor.

"This is the 10th year for the festival so it's an ideal time to pull out all the stops," said ALWS committee chairman Eddie Holbrook.

Organizers said it will be larger, longer and louder than previous festivals. The festival area will cover more space in Uptown Shelby; the event will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and there are more music acts booked than in years past.

"We have four music performances scheduled for the North Point Custom Builders' Hometown Stage, beginning at 1 p.m.," Holbrook said. "We are showcasing local and regional talent on that stage as well as the Little Miss American Legion World Series pageant at 10 a.m.

"On the Main Stage, we have three artists that we know are crowd pleasers. We will announce the Main Stage musical entertainment at a future date."

Hometown Stage performers will include Shelby native Mason Cole; the band Falling Forty-Two, founded by Shelby sisters Emily and Kate Strickland; The Bailey Marie Band, featuring Charlotte-based singer-songwriter and actor Bailey Marie; and Tangerine Trees, a Beatles tribute band from Gastonia, N.C.

This year's festival will add a classic car show, and Cleveland Community College's sports teams will take part in YetiVille. There will also be a larger kid zone, and the new ALWS mascot, AL, will be signing autographs and mingling with the crowd.

Members of the U.S. Army's parachute team, the Golden Knights, will interact with the crowd.

"We are tying the festival directly to the ALWS," Holbrook said. "It has always been an ALWS kickoff event and this year we are asking the vendors to create a baseball theme for their booths. We are adding baseball-themed games and entertainment to emphasize the connection. The Golden Knights will perform twice during the baseball tournament, and people at the festival will get a chance to meet some of the parachutists.

"Add in our increased music performances and we are expecting a tremendous turnout for our 10th year."

For more information, visit alwsfestival.us.

The 97th American Legion World Series will take place Aug. 15-20 at Veterans Field at Keeter Stadium in Shelby, the permanent home of the ALWS.

 

Next article: Maryland project aims to get kids interested in gardening

Maryland project aims to get kids interested in gardening

Source: April 24, 2024

There's a new fixture outside American Legion John B. Latimer Post 217 in College Park, Md.: a pizza garden, planted in part by children from the post's Legion Family and the community.

This is the first year for the post's youth garden program, prompted by an idea from Squadron 217 Second Vice Commander Sean Phelan.

"Last year, I worked with the city to build a pollinator garden at our post on the strip of land between us and our neighbor," Phelan said. "This year, while maintaining that, I wanted to build a vegetable garden to provide some fresh food for our members."

Detachment of Maryland Commander Joe Lohman and Southern Maryland Region District 5 Commander Melvin Graves inspired Phelan to turn it into a youth project.

"Melvin brought up the idea of involving the youth like I do city volunteers for my Good Neighbor Day pollinator garden," Phelan said. "So then I was talking to Joe about it, and the idea grew and blossomed into this great event with his input, insight and suggestions."

On April 10, seven children ranging in age from 5 to 13 were taken to the nearby University of Maryland's Community Learning Garden. There they learned about the gardening process, sampling snap peas, discovering edible flowers, preparing the garden bed and planting radish seeds. They also learned about bees and sampled freshly picked herbs.

Back at Post 217, the kids planted their own vegetable garden, shaped and "sliced" like a pizza, with spots for tomatoes, spinach, garlic, spring onions, peppers, basil, oregano, eggplant and zucchini.

In June, the group will visit a Smithsonian garden in Washington, D.C., Phelan said.

The program "is not just about gardening — it's about nurturing curiosity, fostering connections with nature, and creating lasting memories."

"I enjoy gardening. It's my hobby. I thought it would be a fun event, and maybe the youth will get interested in it. After all, it's the perfect hobby for family bonding away from technology," said Phelan, who credited his grandfather who "ignited my passion for gardening by introducing me to the world of potted plants and the thrill of entering shows.

"… There's nothing quite like getting your hands dirty and watching something beautiful grow."

While primarily an SAL program, Phelan was thankful for support from the post officers as well as College Park council members for helping with resources and manpower to build the garden area.

"This so far has been a rewarding experience for the youth and for the post," Phelan said. "I just need to find a way to find more youth so I can grow it. … I also hope our garden can serve as a proof of concept for other posts to maybe adopt."

Next article: Bequests of insurance

Bequests of insurance

Source: April 24, 2024

LEARN HOW YOUR PLANNED GIFT CAN HELP THE AMERICAN LEGION

Marla* and Wayne purchased a life insurance policy many years ago to create security for their children's futures. As the children grew up, married, found good jobs and accumulated significant assets, the insurance was no longer needed for its original purpose.

Marla: We volunteered regularly with The American Legion and wanted to know if there was any benefit to giving our policy away to this good cause.

Wayne: I wasn't ready to part with the insurance quite yet – I wanted to preserve the option of giving it to our family if someone needed extra help down the road. We both wondered if there was a way we could commit now to help the Legion's work, but make the gift at a later date when it was clear the policy wouldn't be used.

The American Legion gift planner told them they could include a bequest of insurance today that would help achieve their personal and charitable goals. The bequest could be made by simply naming the Legion as beneficiary of their policy. With the beneficiary designation unchanged during life, the insurance proceeds would go to help its future work. In addition, their estate could benefit from an estate-tax charitable deduction based on the value of the proceeds paid.

Marla: The insurance bequest made sense to us.

Wayne: I also liked the fact that our estate would benefit from tax savings, which would help preserve other assets intended for our family.

Is a bequest of a life insurance policy right for you? Creating a bequest of life insurance is an easy gift to establish. You can easily leave a policy to charity if it is no longer needed for its intended purposes by completing a beneficiary designation form. If you have questions about bequests of life insurance policies, please contact us. We would be happy to answer any questions you have.

*Please note: Names and images are representative of a typical donor and may or may not be an actual donor to our organization. Since the benefits of a POD gift may differ depending on your personal circumstances, please consult your legal, tax or financial adviser.

The American Legion's Planned Giving program is a way of establishing your legacy of support for the organization while providing for your current financial needs. Learn more about the process, and the variety of charitable programs you can benefit, at legion.org/plannedgiving. Clicking on "Learn more" will bring up an "E-newsletter" button, where you can sign up for regular information from Planned Giving.

Next article: 52 youth advance to National Oratorical Contest

52 youth advance to National Oratorical Contest

Source: April 24, 2024

Fifty-two high school students won their respective American Legion department oratorical contest to advance to the American Legion National Oratorical Contest in Hillsdale, Mich., May 18-19, where they will speak on the U.S. Constitution and compete for over $203,000 in scholarships.

The contest will begin Saturday, May 18, on the campus of Hillsdale College, where all 52 competitors will be divided into nine groups for the quarterfinals. The competitors will give a prepared eight- to 10-minute oration on the U.S. Constitution and a three- to five-minute oration on an assigned topic discourse – a phase of the Constitution selected from Articles and Sections – in front of judges and family members. The top 18 will advance to the semifinal round to again present their prepared oration and assigned topics. Following the semifinal round, the top three finalists will advance to the final competition Sunday, May 19.

Each department (state) winner who participates in the national contest's first round receives a $2,000 scholarship. The 18 semifinalists will receive an additional $2,000. And the three finalists will compete for first place and a $25,000 scholarship. Second and third place will earn $22,500 and $20,000 respectively. 

For the past 26 years, the American Legion National Oratorical Contest has been held in Indianapolis, home to American Legion National Headquarters. But in 2024, the Legion received an opportunity to relocate the 86-year-old program to the historic campus of Hillsdale College in Michigan. 

2024 department oratorical winners:

Alabama: Caden Walker, sponsored by Post 122 in Prattville

Alaska: Eric McKinley, sponsored by Post 20 in Kenai

Arizona: Mary-Angel K Sannapu, sponsored by Post 128 in Anthem

Arkansas: Mattie Jimmerson, sponsored by Post 71 in Cabot

California: Mahee Haswani, sponsored by Post 362 in Folsom

Colorado: Mae Webster, sponsored by Post 1260 in Highlands Ranch

Connecticut: Adalee Evans, sponsored by Post 17 in Naugatuck,

Delaware: Rujula Borkar, sponsored by Post 30 in Wilmington

District of Columbia: Willow Singleton, sponsored by Post in Washington, D.C.

Florida: William Kiker, sponsored by Post 296 in Destin

France: Nora Gibbons, sponsored by Post 605 in Paris

Georgia: Anant Gautam, sponsored by Post 307 in Cumming

Hawaii: Lehua Angeline Norris, sponsored by Post 20 in Kailua-Kona

Idaho: Eliana Cecil, sponsored by Post 16 in Mackay

Illinois: April Zhang, sponsored by Post 43 in Naperville

Indiana: Knox Boyd, sponsored by Post 38 in West Lafayette

Iowa: Karli Roth, sponsored by Post 737 in Waukee

Kansas: Kamela Corbin, sponsored by Post 408

Kentucky: David Daniel, sponsored by Post 9 in Owensboro

Louisiana: Leianni Vital, sponsored by Post 1 in Lake Charles

Maine:  Kylie Thibodeau, sponsored by Post 86 in Gray

Maryland: Siddharth Bajaj, sponsored by Post 300 in Columbia

Massachusetts: Michael Borowski, sponsored by Post 92 in North Grafton

Michigan: Wisdom Walker, sponsored by Post 303 in Grosse Point

Minnesota: Elijah Cox, sponsored by Post 134 in Walker

Mississippi: Julia Lever, sponsored by Post 153 in Madison

Missouri: Jana Rawashdeh, sponsored by Post 312 in St. Charles

Montana: Jaci Pheifer, sponsored by Post 137 in Kalispell

Nebraska: Joshua Mammen, sponsored by Post 1 in Omaha

Nevada: Alexander Hetey, sponsored by Post 40 in Henderson

New Hampshire: Thatcher Debowski, sponsored by Post 35 in Hampton

New Jersey: Elias Freire, sponsored by Post 213 in Sussex

New Mexico: Zia Miller, sponsored by Post 10 in Las Cruces

New York: Nia Gooden, sponsored by Post 1009 in Yorktown Heights

North Carolina: Natalie Allen, sponsored by Post 267 in Greensboro

North Dakota: McKinnlee Haberman, sponsored by Post 153 in Wyndmere

Ohio: Katherine Toepfer, sponsored by Post 700 in Howland

Oklahoma: Nandini Patel, sponsored by Post 184 in Moore

Oregon:  Adelaide Saunders, sponsored by Post 96 in Vale

Pennsylvania: Amelia Summers, sponsored by Post 559 in Annville

Rhode Island: Sophia Osmani, sponsored by Post 81 in Coventry

South Carolina: Isaac Kanagy, sponsored by Post 124 in Walhalla

South Dakota: Elena Andrews, sponsored by Post 72 in Beresford

Tennessee: Abigail Whicker, sponsored by Post 281 in Mt. Juliet

Texas: Evelyn Fisher, sponsored by Post 575 in Lubbock

Utah: Simon Parnell, sponsored by Post 27 in Farmington

Vermont: McKinley Keaffaber, sponsored by Post 13 in Bennington

Virginia: Marisa Parikh, sponsored by Post 54 in Bedford

Washington: Aubrey Moore, sponsored by Post 186 in Seattle

West Virginia: Juliann Harlan, sponsored by Post 29 in Elkins

Wisconsin: Joshua Rush, sponsored by Post 375 in Mukwonago

Wyoming: Riley Laffin, sponsored by Post 11 in Lovell

 

 

 

 

Next article: Kansas post opening up to community on Legion Family Day

Kansas post opening up to community on Legion Family Day

Source: April 23, 2024

In October 2022, The American Legion National Executive Committee passed Resolution No. 7, American Legion Family Day. The resolution established an American Legion Family Day to be observed annually on the last Saturday of April — this year, that is April 27.

For Legion Family Day, posts are encouraged to open their doors to members of their community for the day to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of Legionnaires, Sons of The American Legion members, Legion Riders and American Legion Auxiliary.

The American Legion Family at Argonne Post 180 in Great Bend, Kan., is taking that suggestion to heart this weekend with its own Legion Family Day this Saturday. From 10 a.m.-2 p.m., the post will open up to the public, providing free hot dogs, face painting, balloon animals and other treats for kids.

Sons of The American Legion Squadron 180 Adjutant Chris Krueger said he and fellow squadron member Terry Harris – who currently is serving as SAL Midwest Region national vice commander – took the Family Day idea to the post, saying it could assist in bringing in "new blood" into the post's American Legion Family. A committee with all four facets of the Legion Family – the Legion, Auxiliary, Sons and Legion Riders – has been guiding the project.

"We see this as a way to let the community know what we do," said Krueger, who also serves as the department's SAL and Legion Riders liaison. "Share the benefits we provide: scholarships, Boys State, Girls State, Cadet Law (Enforcement Academy). All that stuff. Show that we want to be a resource for the community.

"And in the meantime, let's get some new members. Let's get some people who can help with bingo twice a week, help with all the meals we put on. We need people to help keep things going."

During the event, the Great Bend Police Department will provide Ident-A-Kid packets for parents. The packets provide parents with information about their children, including fingerprints, which they take home for safekeeping. If a child is lost or abducted, the information would be used to assist in the investigation.

"One of our members said, ‘Hey, this may be another way to bring parents with kids in.' It's an additional draw. We've got a great relationship with our local police."

And once Post 180 began advertising the event, the Great Bend Fire Department wanted to get involved. Krueger said the department is bringing one of its trucks and will set up a table and hand out kids firefighter badges.

"It's really coming together very well," Krueger said.  

American Legion Family Day also is an opportunity to bring community awareness to the organization's "Be the One" initiative to reduce the rate of veteran suicide. And American Legion posts are encouraged to share details on their Legion Family Day events, either in advance or afterward, at Legiontown.org.

Next article: VA expands access to care, benefits for some former servicemembers who did not receive an honorable or general discharge