Legion Family delivers holiday cheer

American Legion Family members care for their community during the holiday season through monetary donations, Toys for Tots donation drives, meal deliveries, food donations and much more. Below are only a few of the many ways the Legion Family is giving joy this holiday season. Please share what your post is doing at legiontown.org.  

American Legion Post 34 and Auxiliary Unit 34 in El Reno, Okla., held its annual Gifts to the Yanks program fundraiser by hosting a poker run, live auction and dinner. Over $2,924 was raised. 

The money was presented to the El Reno High School on Veterans Day to kick off their 77th annual fundraising for Gift to the Yanks. “After the students have completed their fundraising, they will go shopping to buy and wrap all the gifts purchased,” Unit 34 Secretary Debbie Wintermute said. “In December, the high school will hold its annual Gifts to the Yanks program assembly in the high school auditorium. At the end of the program, they load all of the wrapped gifts onto their school buses and go to Oklahoma City to the VA hospital. While spreading the holiday cheer by singing Christmas carols in the halls, they make sure that each and every veteran in the hospital receives a gift! We are proud to have continued this for the past 76 years, having never missed a year!”

American Legion Post 89 in Stoughton, Mass., sponsored a Toys for Tots night on Nov. 19 that featured bands and dinner. Admission to the event was to bring a new, unwrapped toy. The post collected over 327 toys with more still coming in. “This is the 75th anniversary of Toys for Tots, and we were honored to be part of this program,” said Michael L. Pazyra, Post 89 commander. “This was a great community event that highlighted what our post is all about - not only serving our veterans and their families, but also our community at large. A special thanks to Post Senior Vice Commander Thomas McGauley for doing the groundwork for the event.”

American Legion Post 5 in Emporia, Kan., held its first Toy Run to benefit the Salvation Army. Nearly 90 toys, games and other items for kids were donated through the drive, along with over $300.

James R. Cutler American Legion Post 39 in Abilene, Kan., held its 25th annual Abilene Motorcycle Toy Run. About 70 Legion Riders from the post and surrounding areas brought in more than 150 toys for Toys for Tots.