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(Picture and story by Department Historian Steve DeFeo)
During the National SAL Commander's Homecoming, Kenneth N. Dowden Wayne Post 64 culminated its annual fundraising efforts for Operation Comfort Warriors (OCW) on Saturday, March 25, 2023. As a result of its various fundraising events and individual contributions, PNC Jim Koutz received a total of $111,200.00 from Post 64 members and its Legion Family. Contributors included all of the post's Legion entities and even the band, which played free of charge, donated their tips to the cause.
“I didn’t think they’d break last year’s (donation total). But when it came to $111,000, I was pretty shocked,” PNC Koutz said. “But they really believe in OCW at Post 64. And it’s the entire American Legion Family. It was a great day.”
OCW provides comfort items to wounded warriors. This year OCW has helped injured Hoosier veterans with the donation of a therapy tub, a service dog, a $1,500 food donation to Helping Veterans and Families of Indiana (HVAF) and the donation of a recumbent tricycle to Hoosier veteran Ethan Hughes.