Chaplain assists Allen County’s veterans

Alena Gillum, chaplain for the Allen County Council of Veterans, is a woman of the world. She was born in Hawaii, grew up in Texas, served in the U.S. Marine Corps in both Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and was stationed in Hawaii and Bahrain in the Persian Gulf.

Part of her job is to offer prayers at special veterans events like the veteran’s observance ceremonies following the Memorial Day and Veterans Day parades held at the Allen County Memorial Coliseum.

The mission of the council, which includes all veteran’s organizations in Allen County, is to support veterans of all eras. It can be veterans experiencing hardships in life and those needing assistance navigating veteran’s affairs.

ACCoV has its meetings the third Friday of the month, each at a different veteran’s organization to share ideas, help support each other and coordinate local veteran’s activities. www.seniorlifenewspapers.com

Her duties include visiting veterans in nursing homes throughout the county and in their homes to provide spiritual support and offer prayers.

“Much of my work is done behind the scenes. I’d like to make more frequent visits for pop-up prayer sessions,” said Gillum.

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“I’m honored to be able to serve as council chaplain and be there for any and all veterans to offer comfort and prayer. It’s really comforting to know I’ve been able to help,” she said. “I assisted in a program at a nursing home in New Haven that involved the Marine Corps League and an employee of the nursing home making a presentation on the proper way to fold the American flag. After the presentation, the league gave each of the 25 veterans in attendance a memento of the program.

Gillum became a licensed chaplain through the internet in 2009 and joined the Allen County Council in 2021.

“I don’t make a big deal about serving as chaplain for the council,” said Gillum, “but I don’t take my responsibilities lightly. It’s not surprising that most of the members of the four veteran’s organizations I belong to (VFW Post 857, Marine Corps League, American Legion Post 499 and Disabled American Veterans Chapter 40) don’t even realize I’m the ACCoV chaplain.”

Her father, retired Master Gunnery Sergeant Waco Porter, served 30 years in the Marine Corps., and her husband, Troy, who works at VFW Post 857, is a 22 1/2-year Marine Corps veteran. While in Bahrain, she worked as an electrician on F-18 fighter jets. After her deployment, she ended her service with the rank of lance corporal to return to Texas to care for her aging grandmothers.

“As a kid, I always wanted to be a nurse. Instead, I earned an associate’s degree in architectural technology from Coastal Carolina Community College in North Carolina. When we moved to Fort Wayne in 2004 from Jacksonville, N.C., where I met my husband, I got a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Indiana Wesleyan University. For what it’s worth, I’m even a certified welder.”

The jill of all trades is employed at Lincoln Financial, sells Mary K products and is head of security at Blackhawk Christian Ministries. She’s also vice president of the AfricanAmerican Historical Society Museum.

“I love to golf and fish. That’s when I do my best thinking. As far as the fishing is concerned, I’m more of a feeder than a catcher,” she said.