To the editor:
The American Legion Riders of Post 147, Madawaska and ALR of Post 15, Caribou have gone above and beyond when it comes to volunteerism and community involvement.
According to the by-laws of the American Legion Riders, the purpose of what they do is “to use association to promote and support programs of the American Legion, the community, and to veterans, veteran’s homes and hospitals.” The American Legion Riders of Posts 147 and 15 have fulfilled all of these requirements with their many successful projects and the list of what they do just keeps on growing.
One of the best ways they reach out to the community is through ALR of Post 147 scholarship program. For seven consecutive years, the American Legion Riders have offered five scholarships to graduating seniors. These scholarships are awarded to seniors in Madawaska, Van Buren, Fort Kent, Saint Agatha, and to grandchildren of any active ALR member who are attending any post- secondary education program. They award the scholarships based on a written essay, GPA, academic status, and volunteerism at a club or community activity.
One of the scholarships they fund is the American Legion Legacy Scholarship. This scholarship, which has been awarded for eight consecutive years, goes to children who have lost a parent while on duty since September 11, 2001.
The work the American Legion Riders do with and for the veterans is the pride and joy of their post. These projects include “Our Citizen Soldier Appreciation Day,” “Christmas for Veterans,” “Maine Veterans Cemetery of Caribou,” and their “Welcome Home” and the list continues to grow. The Our Citizen Soldier Appreciation Day has been going on for four consecutive years for 185th Engineer Company of Caribou. During this program, the ALR take over KP duties (kitchen police duties) and serve up a full barbecue meal with all the fixings. The ALR presents thank you to the soldiers along with gifts for their families.
For eight consecutive years, the ALR of Madawaska has visited nine rehab/nursing facilities in the Saint John Valley with their Christmas for Veterans project. The ALR presents each of the 65 veterans they visit over the course of three days with a gift and a sincere “thank you for your service.” During the Veterans’ and Memorial Day holidays or any commencement or dedication ceremony, the ALR provide a 21-gun salute. Finally, the Welcome Home program the ALR is a service they do for returning military personnel when returning home after their overseas duties. The ALR will provide an escort service to their homes and will also provide an Honor Guard or attend funeral services for the veterans.
The work done by the American Legion Riders of Posts 147 and Post 15 is truly inspirational. The members go above and beyond their requirements to ensure a sense of unity between community, service members, and veterans. Madawaska Post 147 hosted the second and fifth Maine American Legion Riders Summer Rally in 2009 and in 2012. The untold stories of what they do are completely selfless and everyone could afford to take a page out of their book, according to their four-term Director Jenn Daigle.
