As part of California District 22’s Be the One Weekend, local and national Legion leadership went door-knocking to connect with lapsed members and their families.
At one home, the former Legionnaire was noncommunicative with a terminal illness. At another, the former Legionnaire’s wife tearfully explained that her husband was in hospice due to the effects of Agent Orange.
As much as the door-knocking in San Diego County June 13-15 was about encouraging former members to renew with The American Legion, it took on a greater purpose as Legionnaires met with veterans and their families.
“I think we saw very clearly that our visits to veteran’s homes are No. 1, extremely impactful for the veteran, them being able to see that someone cares enough to show up at their door. And that was what all of them said was, ‘I can’t believe someone came in person. Thank you,’” said Department of California District 22 Commander Vic Martin.
“But then additionally, the families. We talked to widows, we talked to wives whose veteran husband was in hospice and are terminally ill. I think it was tremendously comforting to the family to know that somebody cares. And we offered programs and services to them just as we would have offered to the veteran. And I think it’s important to note that membership aspect, it is a component. But our mission of The American Legion is so much greater than just getting a member.”
The door-knocking was just one aspect of Together for Veterans: A Be the One Weekend, a revitalization and resource event hosted at Post 282 in La Mesa, Calif.
Martin; National Vice Commander Gary Leach; and other local and national Legion officials went door-knocking each day to visit Legion members whose membership had lapsed.
“I know people that are apprehensive about going door knocking, because they think they’re going to run into members that haven’t paid because they don’t want to be involved with the Legion anymore, they don’t want anything to do with it, and so they’re afraid they’re going to knock on someone’s door and get dumped on,” Leach said. “That has never happened to me a single time. Actually, the majority of the people I run into are grateful that we stopped by to check on them.”
The personal visits, even if the member wasn’t home, were a way to “open a door,” in Martin’s estimation. He noted one of those who was home was a Navy veteran of the Korean War whose wife of 70 years had died last September. Even though the man’s two sons call him every day, the veteran, in his 90s, lives alone.
“Although he has the support of his family, we want to make sure that the family also knows what types of programs and services are available to that veteran and to be able to support them in their time,” Martin said. “You can’t rely on the veteran to know all of the benefits that are available; we also have to inform the family and educate the community on what is available to them.”
At one of the visits on Friday, the veteran they were seeking wasn’t home, but his roommate — also a veteran — was. Martin made sure to invite both of them to the event at Post 282.
- Be the One