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To paraphrase Mark Twain, “The report of our death is an exaggeration.”
“Over the past decade, The American Legion had closed 2,000 posts.” So it was reported in an article by Phil Luciano on Feb. 8 in the Peoria Journal Star. While the report is true, it is somewhat misleading. The past decade has been difficult for The American Legion as well as all veteran service organizations.
These difficult times have turned around in the past couple of years. In the last membership year, The State of Illinois' membership in The American Legion grew by over 2,000 members.
In the Peoria area posts in Bartonville, Glasford, Morton, Creve Coeur, Peoria Heights and East Peoria grew in membership.
The Post in Bartonville is the second largest Post in the state with over 1,000 members.
In the current year Bartonville, Glasford, Morton, Peoria Heights and East Peoria have grown in membership.
Bartonville and Peoria Heights have set new all time highs for membership.
This increase is current and there are almost 5 months left in the membership year.
With membership drives planned for the area, it is quite possible that there will be an increase in membership by the entire 16th District which includes all posts in Bureau, Marshall, Putnam, Stark, Peoria and Tazewell Counties.
Some of the drives are:
Increase the membership in Morton to 350 from the current 325
Increase the membership in Chillicothe to 275 from the current 218
Increase the membership in Creve Coeur to 100 from the current 88
Increase the membership in East Peoria to 100 from the current 72
Increase the membership in Glasford to 100 from the current 89
Increase the membership in Washington to 325 from the current 280
And perhaps the greatest challenge is to make Bartonville the largest Post in the state by
increasing its membership to 1250 from the current 1023.
These are lofty goals that would not be thought of if The American Legion were not alive and well.
If you are eligible to join The American Legion and you have not done so, contact your local Post.
Please do not send flowers as the reports of our death have been greatly exaggerated.
Larry Stimeling was born and raised in Peoria. He moved to Morton when he married his wife, Connie, in 1985. Larry is a retired letter carrier and a service-connected disabled veteran of the Vietnam War. He is very involved with veterans issues and currently serves as the Commander of the 16th Ditrict of The American Legion. He also serves The American Legion as a member of the National Legislative Council and is a member of the eight-man committee working to have a veterans memorial built in Morton.
