Post members can stay connected virtually in a social distancing time

As businesses, restaurants and social establishments are temporarily closing their doors under the direction of governors and mayors to help prevent the risk of catching and spreading the coronavirus, many American Legion posts are being affected.

Communication with post members is still wanted and needed during this unknown time. And while phone calls with Buddy Checks are encouraged in order to see if members need anything, post meetings and socialization can still be conducted – virtually.

For the past several years, American Legion Post 269 in Patchogue, N.Y., has used the online conferencing service www.FreeConferenceCall.com to include all members in its monthly membership meeting. FreeConferenceCall.com is an audio, web and video conferencing service that’s free to users. Legionnaires create a user ID and password and then install the software on their computer desktop.

Post 269’s next monthly meeting is in early April. Even though Commander Jonathon Ralph is hopeful the meeting will be held as scheduled in the post home, “I am going to do a big push for members to utilize the video conferencing instead of attending in person,” he said. “And even though we have not had a large amount of usage, I am still a firm believer that we need to make this type of video conferencing available.”

Zoom.us is another online meeting program that has a free program, as well as WebEx, www.webex.com. There’s a monthly fee with WebEx; however, like FreeConferenceCall.com, the software provides a downloadable copy of the meeting after it’s over.

If your post membership is meeting virtually, whether if it's for a monthly meeting or camaraderie during this time of social separation, share on www.legiontown.org.

Also, any American Legion post and Legion Family members who have stepped up to assist others during the coronavirus pandemic are encouraged to share with us how you’re helping. Either upload your stories to www.legiontown.org or email sbrooks@legion.org.