What Purposes Do All The American Legion Posts In Rockland Serve

According to Google, the American Legion, created by Lt. Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization. Focusing on service to veterans, service members and communities, the Legion evolved from a group of war-weary veterans of World War I. And most people miss that word “communities”.

My personal appreciation of their roles/missions spiked during the last 10 months of the pandemic. I saw with my own eyes what the John H. Secor American Legion Post 329 on Railroad Avenue in Pearl American did vis a vis food for worthy desrving agencies, families and individuals. As a result, I asked an old dear close friend on mine, Murry Cohen of the John M. Perry Post 1044 in Sparkill, to educate me.

These are his words

The Sparkill American Legion has been a most generous organization to Rockland County since it’s inception. Being active in the community, especially with children & youth is one of the pillars of the American Legion. Major monetary donations to the community started under the leadership of Post Commander Murry Cohen & continues under Commanders Bob Kolb, Bruce Bogerd & current Commander Dave Mart. During that approximately 12 years this Post has donated well over $100,000. The following are but a few of the recipients of our charity:

1. National Emergency Fund (National American Legion Charity)
2. Montrose VA Hospital for Veterans
3. National Legacy Fund
4. Marine Corp League (Toys for Tots)
5. Rockland Homes for Heroes
6. Piermont Seniors
7. Troop 37 BSA
8. Scared Heart Church
9. St. Catherine’s Church
10. Orangetown/Blauvelt Seniors
11. St. Charles’ AME Church
12. Palisades/Sparkill Baseball League
13. Trinity Episcopal Church
14. The Penquin Plunge
15. Westchester Blue Foundation
16. Rockland County PBA Widows & Orphans Fund
17. Mecca Shriners Patient Transportation Fund
18. Tappan Seniors
19. Sparkill Seniors
20. Post 1044 Auxiliary
21. People to People
22. Neighborhood Pantry
23. Pack 55 BSA
24. Two $1000 Scholarships each year to Tappan Zee High School Seniors
25. Five $1000 Scholarships each year to children & grandchildren of Post members
26. Mental Health Association of Rockland
27. Westchester Putnam Retirees Assoc. to Support Fisher Houses for Veterans
28. Special Olympics
29. South Orangetown Little League
30. Reform Church Tappan
31. Reform Church Piermont
32. Piermont Fire Dept
33. Sparkill Fire Dept.
34. Thorpe Seniors
35. Pearl River Methodist Church
36. Christ the Episcopal Church
37. National Flood Victims
38. Hudson Valley 10-13 Association
39. Sponsored Outing for Veterans Hospitalized at VA Hospital
40. Sponsor two Memorial Day Observances in Sparkill & Palisades each year
41. Sponsor at least two high school boys to Boys State each year.
42. Orangetown Jewish Synagogue
43. Animal Shelter of Rockland Food Drive

"In addition to the monetary donations, our post also allows the use of our Post baseball field for the Palisades/Sparkill baseball league free of any charge. We also allow them the use of our building free of charge for registration, etc. We allow the Sparkill seniors to have use of our building for their monthly meetings free of charge. Our members have held patriotic talks at the South Orangetown Middle School. The Post members have placed American flags on the graves of Veterans each year at Rockland Cemetery at our expense. For the community we have run every year a turkey shoot."

This lists says it all with no fancy words. I close to add that all the Posts never overlook our Veterans as their highest responsibility. Did I mention that the American Legion is a national and County treasure ?