Post 56 had fallen to just 22 members. Its charter was in peril. There was no post home at the time, but there was money in the bank from a property sale. That money could have been turned in with the charter. Instead, the few Legionnaires on the roster came up with a different plan. They bought a new building, pooled their talents, remodeled the building, devised a new leadership model and since then have watched the post thrive.
Post 24’s membership was stuck at about 500 and idling. Then, as the post-9/11 generation of veterans began to discover it, the historic American Legion post was transformed, adding more than 250 new members, mostly those who have served in the global war on terrorism. The key to the post’s growth and success, say Legionnaires of eras going back to World War II, is that the young members were not forced to wait long to lead.