IN THIS ISSUE Department partners with State Representatives Indianapolis Revitalization promotes Legion Awareness Yorktown Post Celebrates Park Opening
State lawmakers, Indiana Legion join forces to help veterans The Indiana House of Representatives recently selected The American Legion Department of Indiana to be their 2020 philanthropic partners during the legislative session, which kicks off in January. The bipartisan group of 100 legislators will help raise awareness of Hoosier Veterans’ needs and issues and host a donation drive and volunteer activity day at the Statehouse in Indianapolis. Each year, House lawmakers select an organization and a cause to support, and past partners include Boys and Girls Clubs, Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity. There are over 400,000 Veterans in Indiana, and the needs within that Veteran community grow every day. The American Legion Department of Indiana, working together with House lawmakers, hope to highlight these needs and services, and recruit more people and support to help Change Lives within the Hoosier Veteran community. The American Legion Department of Indiana continually works with the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs to help Hoosier Veterans and their families with benefit claim assistance and information, education benefits, health care and rehabilitation needs, transitional and emergency financial assistance.
Indiana State Capitol, Photo by Tim Sproles
Indianapolis district revitalization creates Legion awareness By Cameran Richardson Bob Cooper received a post card in the mail inviting him to visit American Legion Speedway Post 500 in Indianapolis for an opportunity to transfer his membership and speak with a veterans service officer. So he walked through the post doors the morning of Oct. 8 during District 11’s two-day revitalization effort. After two years in the De- Post 500 1st Vice Commander Jasmin Pettiford makes a call during 11’s revitalization effort at Post 500 in Speedway, Ind., on partment Headquarters Post District Tuesday, October 8. Photo by Ben Mikesell/The American Legion 777, the Vietnam War 173rd Airborne Infantry veteran trans- do something beneficial for our back expired members. “The biggest benefit of this ferred his membership to Post veterans.” The post card Cooper re- revitalization is actually reach500 and spoke with Department of Indiana Service Officer John ceived was one of 500 sent to ing out and contacting the Hickey about getting his VA former, expired or headquarters members. Most who we are post members as part of the first contacting today joined through benefits increased. “I think we will be able to of several revitalization efforts DMS so they haven’t had that help (Cooper) quite a bit, so it that the Department of Indiana personal contact with their felwas good for him to come out has planned for this membership low members and haven’t been to the post,” said Hickey, a ser- year. More than 10 Legionnaires invited to join a post,” said vice officer for the past 27 years. from District 11 were stationed Richard Brown, Department of “It’s nice to get up in the morn- at Post 500 making phone calls Indiana membership chairman. ing knowing you’re going to and going door-to-door to bring “I preface the call by thanking
them for joining the organization and then transition into an invitation to join our post.” Brown’s theme as membership chairman is Recruiting and Retention Through Engagement, Action and Revitalization. “So this effort hits two of our key tenets of taking action and revitalizing our posts.” Jasmin Pettiford of Post 500 made phone calls from her cell phone but said a piece of advice when making calls to expired or DMS members is to leave the post phone number as a call back if the veteran doesn’t answer. When she’s leaving the post number, she tells the veteran to call back and ask for herself or the post commander. “I feel this revitalization effort is very important for our community and the Legion itself to let people know about our mission and purpose and to get them involved,” said Post 500 Commander Johnette Lawson. “We know that there are
600 (Indiana National Guard) soldiers who left for deployment so I’m trying to reach out to those families left behind so they know we are here if they need help with anything like mowing the yard or babysitting. We have a big Legion Family that can help them out so they’re not out there by themselves. We are here to help the community, not just the military but the community.” While phone calls were being made at Post 500, a few Legionnaires, including Department of Indiana Assistant Adjutant Billy Johnson, drove around Indianapolis to visit former members at their home. For those who didn’t answer their door, a “Why You Should Belong” brochure was left behind as well as the October calendar of events for Post 500 and a letter about the department’s programs and scholarships.
$247,500 awarded to American Legion Boys, Girls State participants See story on page 4