Post finds an 'opportunity' to assist community during pandemic

Post finds an 'opportunity' to assist community during pandemic

Chartered in 1919, American Legion Post 48 in Guilford, Conn., has been active in its community for more than 100 years. But when the coronavirus pandemic hit, the post was limited as to how involved with its community it could be.

That didn’t sit well with Post 48 Finance Officer Fred Brisbois, who wanted to find some way that the post’s membership – many of whom have needed to stay home to avoid exposure to the virus - could stay involved. So Brisbois came up with a plan that has generated more than $3,000 to assist others in the community. Post members are taking some of the money provided to them through their Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act stimulus payments and donating it to the post’s Pay Forward Fund.

“I was frustrated watching the news and seeing (the coronavirus) impact on everybody,” Brisbois said. “I racked my brains a few hours trying to figure out what we could do. Most of the people in our post … are rather old. So a lot of the activities the town was doing that we’d normally be participating in – distributing masks, delivering food and stuff like that – we weren’t allowed to do because we were in the high-risk category.”

Brisbois said in the stimulus payments he saw “an opportunity” to assist others in the community without putting post members at risk. He presented the idea to Post 48 Commander Ron DeMartino, who quickly gave his approval.

“It wasn’t a surprise that (Brisbois) would come up with something creative,” DeMartino said. “Fred is just that way. He’s always coming up with something … and challenging us to do different and new things.”

DeMartino also approved putting $500 from the post immediately into the fund, while Brisbois began his fundraising campaign, sending out dozens of letters and a handful of emails to post members, asking if they can donate from the stimulus check. He used quotes such as "Ten percent of life is what happens to you, 90 percent of life is how you respond,” and "You cannot change the wind, but you can always adjust your sails” to bring his point home.

Donations began to come in, at first from just post members but then – as word got out about the project – Brisbois received two donations from non-members.

The money raised will be distributed where it can best help, including to assist the Guilford Food Bank, the Guilford Community Fund and for veterans in need.

“It was really gratifying (to see donations come in),” DeMartino said. “It is truly that they stepped up. We’re a relatively small post, but we are active in the community. This was our chance to help.”