American Legion family looks for more members
REBECCA PETTINGILL | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 years, 11 months AGO
The American Legion family is made up of three types of members: Legionnaires, Auxiliary and Sons of the American Legion. A Legionnaire is a service member or veteran, Auxiliary includes the spouse, child, grandchild or mother of the service member and Sons of the American Legion are sons or grandsons of the service member.
FILE PHOTO
The American Legion Art Semro Post and Unit 28 hosts many family-style dinners throughout the year, including before their monthly meeting.
The American Legion Art Semro Post and Unit 28 are always looking for new members to help with the different events the unit and post is involved in throughout the year.
EPHRATA - The American Legion family hosts and participates in many events and programs throughout the year that supports veterans and their families locally as well as across the country.
“We reach out to our communities to try to help remind them of the freedoms that a lot of us take for granted,” said Jane Montaney, American Legion Art Semro Unit 28 long-time member. “There is somebody out there at one point in time (who) made sure that those freedoms existed for us and are serving to continue to preserve those freedoms.”
The American Legion family is made up of three types of members: Legionnaires, Auxiliary and Sons of the American Legion. A Legionnaire is a service member or veteran, Auxiliary includes the spouse, child, grandchild or mother of the service member and Sons of the American Legion are sons or grandsons of the service member.
According to the legion’s website, the American Legion was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization, with the American Legion Auxiliary also being created that same year to assist and work side by side with the Legion.
“We are a family organization,” said Montaney. “And as such, we want people to know families are welcome.”
Montaney emphasized that, while seniors are active in the post and unit, veterans and their family members of all ages are welcome and encouraged to participate. Veterans of all ages need the support and community offered by the American Legion.
The American Legion Art Semro Post and Unit 28 are always looking for new members to help with the different events the unit and post is involved in throughout the year, Montaney said. Though a lot of the current membership is an older crowd, there is plenty of room for younger members to join and become involved. Younger people are encouraged to join so that the Legion can continue to serve for generations to come.
Montaney said members are free to participate in as many, or as few, programs and events the post and unit support as they would like.
The regular meetings of Art Semro Unit 28 are on the second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. Montaney said the Auxiliary and Legionnaires meet at the same time but hold separate meetings. There is also a dinner served prior to the meeting(s) at 5:30 p.m. The family-style meal is $10-15 a plate depending on the food.
Grant County also has a Veteran Service Officer, Anthony Garcia – 509-754-2011 ext. 5255 or 509-885-4097 – who works with veterans to assist them in their needs. Assistance may include or relate to utilities to prevent cut off, food and necessary items for hygiene and health, rent or mortgage assistance, burial assistance and medical, dental, and travel assistance and catastrophic emergencies as determined on an individual basis.
“We are really blessed here in Grant County in that we have a Grant County Service Officer,” said Montaney.
Rebecca Pettingill may be reached at [email protected].
American Legion Post & Unit Post 28
American Legion Post 28
276 8th Avenue NW
Ephrata, WA 98823
509-754-2761
Jane Montaney: 509-760-1433
Veterans’ Assistance Program Offices in Grant Co.
American Legion Post 157
31 Coulee Boulevard
Electric City, WA 99123
509-631-1839
American Legion Post 183
P.O. Box 145
Quincy, WA 98848
509-398-3653
American Legion Post 209
538 W Broadway
Moses Lake, WA 98837
509-765-1126
Veterans of Foreign Wars
P.O. Box 421
Quincy, WA 98848
509-750-0938
Vietnam Veterans of America
1525 E Wheeler Road
Moses Lake, WA 98837
View Map
Phone: 509-766-5015, ext. 5207
Located in Grant County Building across from Ziggy’s
Hours
Monday, Wednesday and Friday
9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Upcoming Am. Legion Events
February
Crab Feed - Post event done with the assistance of the unit on the last Saturday of the month. Meal tickets are usually sold ahead of time. All you can eat.
March
Girls & Boys States Dinner and Auction - main fundraiser to obtain the money for sponsorship of Girls State and Boys State. Dinner is traditional Corned Beef & Cabbage.
April
Nominating committee presents a slate of new Unit officer candidates.
District Spring Conference - held at one of the posts within the district.
ARTICLES BY REBECCA PETTINGILL
Ag issues on docket in 2023 Washington Legislature
OLYMPIA — The 2023 Washington Legislature session included bills to support agriculture. House Bill 1138, concerning drought preparedness, is one piece of that legislation. “We’ve been working on that for two to three years,” said Rep. Tom Dent, a sponsor of the bill. “So we get into a drought in different areas of the state and the drought committee comes together and puts together a plan to help people in the drought-affected area to mitigate the effects of the drought, whether it means through use of emergency wells, financial assistance, (or other measures).” HB 1138, requested by the Department of Ecology, adjusts the circumstances in which the Drought Committee is authorized to convene. The bill amends these circumstances to include when a drought advisory is in effect and when a drought emergency order is in effect.
Legislators request millions in infrastructure funding for Adams Co.
RITZVILLE – Adams County looks to have millions of dollars in federal funds for infrastructure projects approved by Congress through requests by regional legislators. “We are grateful to all the members of our Congressional delegation, each of whom has stepped up to assist with vitally important infrastructure projects for our region,” said Dan Blankenship, Adams County Commissioner... .
Dent proud of committee’s bipartisan effort in 2023 session
MOSES LAKE – Rep. Tom Dent, R-Moses Lake, said that there is a lot he has to be proud of from this session, but the thing he was most proud of was the bipartisan effort to tackle bills by him and several other lawmakers. “I think, for me, there were a lot of wins,” said Dent. “The kind of wins that you don’t see.”