×

Legion facing member struggles

LISBON — When the local American Legion participates in Memorial Day events this weekend it could likely be for the last time as the nearly 100-year-old organization fades out of existence because of the advancing age of its dwindling membership.

In appreciation of the American Legion’s many years of service to the community, the Lisbon Historical Society is hosting an evening of patriotic music and entertainment in the train station museum parking lot on Sunday evening. In past years the event has been hosted by the American Legion, with help from the historical society, but the organization was not planning to do so in 2017 until the historical society stepped forward.

The historical society’s Gene Krotky said they decided to hold the event one last time in honor of the American Legion.

“We’ve provided them a place and support in the past, but now we’re basically putting it on,” she said of the event. “We’re hoping a lot of townspeople will come because they remember how much the Legion has done, and this is really the only chance we are going to have to pay special attention and say thank you to the American Legion.”

American Legion Post 275 is named after John J. Welsh, the first Lisbon man killed in action during World War I, one of 12 village residents who died in the “war to end all wars.” Krotky, whose husband is a member, said Post 275 was formed in 1920 by Lisbon veterans who had returned from the Great War and they purchased the building on West Lincoln Way as their headquarters.

The building was sold to a day care provider about eight years ago, but Post 275 retained a meeting room in the basement where they still gather every Thursday night. Post Commander Vic Coleman said they have less than 10 active members and, at 48 years old, he is the youngest of the group, with the rest in their 70s and 80s.

Coleman said younger veterans have declined to step forward and join Post 275, which is a dilemma faced by many community organizations whose aging members are being replaced.

“I belong to the Masons and we struggle for members there, too,” he said,

Despite their membership problems, Coleman said Post 275 will participate in Memorial Day services at the Lisbon Cemetery as long as they are able. The local Boy Scouts have been helping place U.S. flags on veterans’ graves for the past 10 years, and Post 275 hosts the Gettysburg Address contest and its members also perform the rifle salute but he does not know for how much longer because of age and illness.

“We’re not on our last leg yet. It’s close, but we still have one foot out of the grave,” Coleman said. “We’ll continue to go on as long as we can.”

The music program begins at 7:30 p.m. Sunday and features performances by the Lisbon Community Singers, but the event will be moved to the nearby Methodist Church should it rain.

The same goes for Memorial Day activities at the cemetery, which begin following the 9 a.m. parade.

Like most of these organizations, Post 275 also holds various fundraisers, with the proceeds used to benefit the community, such as its sponsorship of local high school student participation in the American Legion’s Boys and Girls State summer leadership/citizenship program.

Krotky worries Post 275 will cease to exist.

“It’s just one more thing that’s going to disappear that made Lisbon a nice place to live,” she said.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

COMMENTS

Starting at $4.73/week.

Subscribe Today