The Belton Journal
On Saturday, The American Legion Post 55 in Belton hosted a catfish fry meet and greet put on by the American Legion Riders (ALR).
Kyle Bailey, Post 55 Commander, said Legion Post 55 honors the people of the military that have given so much for this country.
“We do this by holding fundraisers, like the catfish fry here today. All the money we take in comes from donations and members who support us. The money we raise pays for the expenses of the Post. If we have extra money, we donate it to the school boards, families who need emergency money, and charities. We rely on fundraisers, to keep the doors open. It’s been tough during the pandemic. We couldn’t have our monthly meetings and fundraisers,” Bailey said.
The Legion has applied for an alcohol license and hopes to be able to generate more revenue by using the building as a private club for the veteran members.
ALR is a group of members who ride motorcycles and are known for their charitable work, that raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for local children’s hospitals, schools, veterans homes and scholarships. Members of the ALR have over 110,000 Legion Riders worldwide, and have formed an honor guard group for military funerals, escorting military units returning home from combat tours.
Since 2006, Riders nationwide have participated in The American Legion Legacy Run to annually raise money for the Legacy Scholarship Fund, established to provide scholarships to children of U.S. military personnel killed since Sept. 11, 2001.
The American Legion is the nation’s largest wartime veterans service organization, committed to mentoring youth and sponsorship of wholesome programs in their communities. American Legion Baseball is one of the nation’s most successful amateur athletic programs, educating young people about the importance of sportsmanship, citizenship and fitness.
American Legion Post 55 building is named after Walton Harris Walker (Dec.3, 1889-Dec. 23, 1950). Walker was a United States Army four-star general who served as a commander in World War l, WW ll, and the Korean War, where he commanded the Eighth United States Army before dying in a jeep accident. He received two Distinguished Service Crosses for extraordinary heroism in WW ll and the Korean War.
The Belton American Legion Post 55 was chartered on Sept. 22, 1919. They have been serving the veterans, their families and the community of Belton for 103 years. The American Legion is a nonpartisan, non-profit organization that supports patriotism, national security and youth development.
