Members of Virginia Post 180’s Legion Family make 296 Buddy Checks as part of challenge.
One of the three components of The American Legion’s USA 250 Challenge is wellness, which encourages participants to complete 250 hours of mental wellness activities. Included in that can be having 250 participants complete Be the One suicide prevention training or completing 250 Buddy Checks.
In Vienna, Va., Post 180’s American Legion Family took just one weekend to complete the latter. On Sept. 27-28, a group of Legion and Auxiliary members made 296 Buddy Checks. The effort was spearheaded by Post 180 Commander David Wallace, who joined the group making phone calls.
“It was something I needed to do, as post commander: reaching out to our Legion Family members,” said Wallace, who serves as chairman of The American Legion Media & Communication Commission. “This is one of the best ways to do that.”
The USA 250 Challenge encourages American Legion Family members, other veterans and all Americans to participate, and even raise additional money to support our disabled veterans and families in need through The American Legion Veterans & Children Foundation. The year-long initiative offers three categories — fitness, mental wellness and community service — in order to engage more American Legion Family members and others to participate.
Register for the USA 250 Challenge today.
Wallace said he starts Buddy Check calls introducing himself and reminding the recipient that he or she is a valued member of Post 180’s Legion Family. “And then kind of try to get them to open up, whether it’s us talking or listening. Then talking about two or three events that are coming up. Encourage them to come in. Asking, ‘Hey, are you receiving our communications?’
“And then, of course, closing it off. Saying, ‘Thanks again, hope to see you around.’ Something along that line. I’ve had a couple people message me, thanking me.”
Wallace said he had a couple calls where the recipient spoke about needing to renew their membership. “That’s not what this is about,” he said. “That’s not what Buddy Checks are for. ‘This is all about you. Is there something we can help you with? Is this something you need to know about the post?’”
The calls also provided an opportunity to make sure the recipients would receive future communications from the post. “Buddy Checks not only help out with making sure they’re OK,” Wallace said. “It gives us an opportunity to see whether emails are correct, which in the early year you really want to make sure you’ve established communications with your Legion Family members. And we found quite a few emails that were not correct. They weren’t getting our communications. If you don’t communicate with your members, they don’t have a reason for coming to your post or to be engaged.”
Wallace was joined in making the Buddy Check calls by Post 180 Second Vice Commander Brian Zuniga, Virginia 17th District Commander and Post 180 Adjutant Guillermo Guillen and Unit 105 Sergeant-at-Arms Pamela Gaither.
Town of Vienna Councilwoman Jessica Ramakis, who Wallace said is a staunch supporter of Post 180, also took part, making Auxiliary Buddy Check calls. Wallace said she talked about the effort at the ensuing town council meeting.
“It was really a strong piece where it will extend, going into our town talking about it. Being able to bring somebody from the outside … and spending that time is very valuable,” Wallace said. “National Buddy Check Week is coming up in November, and I plan to do this again. I feel the fact she’s able to go back to the town and say, ‘Hey, we’re going to do it again’, maybe will encourage more people from the town to come out (and participate). You never know how big this can grow.”
Wallace said the USA 250 Challenge provides both a challenge and multiple ways to take on that challenge. “I think it’s something that gives you a sense of purpose,” he said. “Some people like one aspect of it. Maybe it’s the physical. Maybe it’s the mental piece. Maybe it's the community service. It’s a challenge. We’ve got that 250th birthday of America coming up. This resonates and gives you a sense of purpose of what to do going into next year America’s 250th birthday.”
- USA250 Challenge