Southold American Legion upgrades post to attract younger members as Memorial Day nears

The American Legion in Southold is looking for a few good men. And women.

Some to join, others to help.

With Memorial Day approaching, members of Griswold-Terry-Glover American Legion Post 803 are preparing for the solemn work of remembrance: red poppies, prayers and 21-gun salutes at five monuments in Mattituck and Southold.

But the post is also facing another kind of work. Its historic Main Road headquarters, opened in 1861, needs a paint job, its parking lot needs rebuilding and its aging members are trying to make sure the Legion remains a gathering place for the next generation.

For post historian John Christina, 78, an Army veteran, the two missions are tied together.

“These monuments weren’t put there just to be there,” he said as rain pelted the historic hall Thursday afternoon. “They can’t be forgotten.”

Southold’s post has about 167 members, many of them Vietnam-era veterans now in their 70s and 80s.

“Most of the guys who do all the work, they’re older,” Mr. Christina said. “If we don’t think ahead for the next generation, we’re going to be in trouble.”

Suffolk County has the largest veteran population in New York State. But at a recent Legion meeting in Babylon, Mr. Christina said officials discussed the broader decline of American Legion posts across the county. More than 20 have closed over time, he said, with four more expected to shut by the end of the year.

Mr. Christina has no intention of that fate befalling the post at the big bend as eastbound drivers enter the hamlet of Southold.

Beginning Friday, Legion members will fan out across the North Fork handing out red poppies — the longtime Memorial Day symbol honoring fallen service members — while raising donations for veterans programs.

On Memorial Day morning, members will gather at 7:30 at the post’s Main Road headquarters for their traditional rounds. A few hours later, the veterans will march in the annual parade in Mattituck.

The Legion’s preparations are part of a broader push to reconnect it with younger veterans and the wider community. But the work ahead is expensive.

Benjamin Moore donated paint for the exterior of the building, Mr. Christina said, but the Legion still needs to hire a professional crew. The cost is about $25,000, he said.

The cracked parking lot is an even bigger endeavor.

Winter storms tore up already failing pavement, turning what members once hoped would be a smaller repair into a full reconstruction project. Mr. Christina said the work could cost about $127,000.

Standing beside puddles spread across the cracked lot after a light rain, Mr. Christina pointed toward the uneven pavement and shook his head.

Inside the hall Thursday, longtime member Dave Wilburn moved between folding tables preparing for the post’s popular bingo night. Outside, newly planted trees swayed beside fresh concrete work, patriotically-painted picnic tables and a new bocce court.

Over the past several months, volunteers and local contractors cleared brush, built a patio and outdoor cooking area and added new gathering spaces around the property at the big bend heading into Southold.

Mr. Christina said the goal is not just to draw younger veterans in, but to keep them coming back.

“We get younger guys who come in, and then we never see them again,” he said. “There has to be something for them to do.”

The Legion hopes cookouts, lectures and family events can help. Mr. Christina recalled hosting a talk last year by a retired firefighter who survived being trapped in the rubble on Sept. 11. More than 80 people showed up.

“When people are involved and doing things, they become part of it,” he said.

The post has also expanded beyond ceremonies and social gatherings.

Earlier this month, the Legion hosted a veterans resource fair that brought together organizations offering benefits assistance, counseling and other support services.

Mr. Wilburn, a former Army paramedic who helped organize the event, said many older East End veterans still don’t realize what help is available.

“A lot of these guys just don’t know what they qualify for or who to call,” Mr. Wilburn said. “We had people helping veterans with disability claims, health benefits, service dogs, even home repairs. That’s the kind of stuff people need.”

Nearly 90 people attended, with more programs planned later this year.

The post also recently hosted a health screening event offering discounted testing for conditions including cardiovascular disease and lung cancer.

“We served our country,” Mr. Christina said. “Now we serve our community.”

That community connection will be on display again this summer. The Southold Fourth of July parade traditionally ends at the post, where Boy Scouts hand out hot dogs and Girl Scouts distribute soda and popcorn.

This year, Tom Wickham, whose family farm goes back generations in Southold, has offered the use of a wagon he normally uses for farm tours. Mr. Christina said the idea is to decorate it for the parade and give the Legion a stronger presence.

It all goes toward the Legion’s ultimate mission: to keep alive the memories of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

“They can’t be forgotten,” Mr. Christina said.