American Legion Post 266 in Granby provided care packages for residents of the Soldiers' Home and airmen working there to help with the pandemic.
The coronavirus pandemic has caused great sadness and has had a severe impact on long-term care facilities nationwide, including the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke, Mass., where more than 50 veterans have died from the virus. While news sites continue breaking coverage on the deaths and positive COVID-19 cases of veterans at the Soldiers’ Home, American Legion Post 266 in Granby, Mass., is delivering positive news by providing care packages to veterans and military personnel at the home, as well as to veterans who have been temporarily transferred from the facility to nearby Holyoke Medical Center for safety measures.
Post 266 Adjutant Rob Chauvin, who is still serving at the Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, Mass., received a phone call from an officer at the base who asked for help in putting together care packages for airmen stationed at the Soldiers’ Home helping with the COVID-19 pandemic and who are living in hotels, and for the more than 40 Soldiers’ Home residents transferred to the hospital.
“Easy decision for me,” Chauvin said. “I’ll get our local Legion involved.”
Chauvin put a message on Post 266’s Facebook page about the items needed for the care packages – puzzles, crosswords, word finds and other self-service items for veterans at Holyoke Medical Center; and healthy and comfort snacks, sports drinks and water bottles for the airmen.
Drop boxes were set outside of the post’s back door for people in the community to easily and safely deliver items at their convenience. A few times a day Chauvin went to the post to collect the items.
The collection started April 10 and ended around 2 p.m. April 17 for delivery to the locations around 3 p.m. Donations over the course of a week resulted in two vehicles packed with food for the airmen at the Soldiers’ Home and a vehicle packed with games, clothes and other needed necessities for the veterans temporarily staying at the Holyoke Medical Center.
Chauvin; two Auxiliary members, including his wife; and Post 266’s service officer delivered the care packages, as well as two local firemen whose station also had collected care items.
“We take care of our veterans and our military and that’s just who we are and what we do,” Chauvin said.
Chauvin will keep in contact with the Soldiers’ Home and airmen stationed there to stay informed of their needs.
“We will see what we can do to provide support and assistance,” he said. “We will rise to the occasion and take care of their request as much as we can.”
- News