Commander: 'It's the message that matters'
National Commander Dale Barnett and Legion family members conduct a Walk for Veterans event in Hartford, Conn., on Oct. 8. Photo by Christopher Capozziello

Commander: 'It's the message that matters'

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Although the route seemed shorter than a traditional 5k walk, the distance of The American Legion Walk for Veterans event in Hartford, Conn., mattered little to National Commander Dale Barnett.

“The distance is immaterial. It’s the message that matters,” Barnett said. And it was a message that was amplified by local media outlets that covered the group of Legion family members who proudly walked in three columns following the event banner from Hartford’s Bushnell Park to American Legion Post 142 on Oct. 8.

The message was simple: The American Legion supports veterans, their families and their communities. One major example of this truism is The American Legion National Emergency Fund, which assists Legion family members and posts impacted by natural disasters.

“Please remember the people of South Carolina that are going though the floods right now,” Barnett said to the group of about 60 walkers. “This is why the National Emergency Fund is so important.”

Jim LaCoursiere, a past national vice commander and one of the main organizers of the walk in Hartford, said, “I think this walk was a success, considering that we held it in the middle of a work week and a day when kids are in school. The community has really embraced this. Along the walk we saw legislative staff waving at us from their office windows, people stood outside the schools and waved to us. Plus, we had three TV stations and two newspapers reporting about it.”

Connecticut Commissioner of Veterans Affairs Sean M. Connolly delivered greetings to Barnett and Legion family members prior to the walk. “As commissioner of veterans affairs, I think I have a partnership with the veterans service organizations and The American Legion. We have to work together to help veterans because we can’t do it on our own. Any time I can support The American Legion, I’m going to do it because they support the 200,000 veterans that we have here in Connecticut.”

The support included a VA bus to transport walkers from Post 142 to Bushnell Park, police escorts and a permit – all free of charge.

Connecticut Department Commander Paul Spedaliere emphasized the team approach taken by the Legionnaires, Auxiliary members and Sons of The American Legion of Post 142 by making a comparison to another species. “Think about the legends of the geese. When the geese fly in v-formation, each goose as its flying gives a lift to the next one. They can achieve more in numbers as they fly to their destination. When one falls down, another one falls out to follow the one to the ground to make sure that they’re OK until they’re ready to go back up.”

Past National President of The American Legion Auxiliary Janet Jefford said, “By doing (walks) in communities across the country, we are making people aware of what we do. This is the story that’s important, the story of our veterans. Not movie stars, politicians or sports heroes.”

It is a story that will resonate in Hartford, according to Department Senior Vice Commander Louie Robinson, a member of Post 142. “Hartford is a city that knows that there is a little club on top of the hill. This is an American Legion post. This walk brought to the forefront that veterans are here. They need to look at us as more than just a club. We are here, and we are still serving.”

Reminding people of the sacrifices of veterans is a passion for District 7 Auxiliary President Lillian Beardsley. “When I became a unit president, I thanked everybody for fighting for my freedom. No matter what job they had when they served, they were still fighting for my freedom.”

Barnett said that the walks have been bringing greater public awareness about The American Legion. “We're getting on the news for what we do. People are hearing about us, and they are seeing us.”

The Department of Indiana will be holding an American Legion Walk for Veterans event on Oct. 11 in Lawrence, Ind., for walkers and runners. Click here for more details. American Legion departments interested in conducting a walk should contact Matt Herndon, deputy director of the Legion's Membership Divsion, by email at mherndon@legion.org or phone at (317) 630-1406.