Orlando post holds benefit for shooting victims

When Wade Foster heard of the tragedy that struck his community on the morning of Sunday, June 12, his immediate reaction was to help.

A gunman killed 49 people and wounded more than 50 others at the Pulse Nightclub in downtown Orlando, making it one of the deadliest mass shootings in the United States.

“This hit me in my heart. And we as The American Legion wanted to let the public know that we are a part of Orlando; we’re a big part of it,” said Foster, commander of Orlando Memorial Post 19. “We are a small post, but I didn’t let our size dictate what we can do for our community.”

Located less than 10 miles from the nightclub, Post 19 showed its community support by raising a pride flag and hosting an “Orlando Strong” event June 26 with proceeds benefiting the GLBT Center of Orlando to help the shooting victims and their families. The free outdoor concert, which was open to the public, featured five bands, food trucks, raffle prizes and a silent auction.

“This is what The American Legion stands for and this is what we do – we take care of our own, but we also want to make sure that everyone is being watched over,” Foster said. “It’s called giving back to the community. This is where we live.”

White tags featuring the names of the fallen were tied to 49 small American flags that lined the sidewalk in front of the post. The flags will not be taken down until the last wounded Pulse Nightclub victim leaves the hospital. And a banner that read “Orlando United, American Legion Post 19 Will Never Forget” was inside the post for concert attendees to sign and write personal messages. It will be placed at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, a memorial site for the shooting victims that has become a gathering place for people to remember and mourn.

Cindy Stump, Unit 19 and LGBT community member, said she’s “never been so proud in my whole for what (Post 19) did. It was all about family; it really is a family here. And it was an honor to be a part of the event.”

The Post 19 Legion family raised nearly $1,100 during the Orlando Strong event, through donations, bar sales and raffle prizes, which included restaurant and salon certificates, a Walmart gift card and an Adirondack chair. The food trucks also raised and donated more than $200.

“I was so overwhelmed, I was crying at the end because the Legion members, Auxiliary, SAL and Legion Riders, everybody came in and supported and we had such a fantastic turnout with donations,” said Debra Foster, wife of Wade and senior vice commander of Auxiliary Unit 19. “I am proud of each and every member that showed up.”

Foster also was proud of the Legion family support and the benefit itself, saying it made him “feel awesome.”

“When you are in the military, you work with every walk of life and you have to respect each and every person,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what their skin tone is, what their lifestyle is. We don’t judge anybody. What we do is we help all of those who are in need of our help; whatever assistance we can give we make it happen.”