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By Jaylan Miller jmiller@chronicle-tribune.com
Source: Chronicle-Tribune
American Legion Unit 313 was visited by a special guest this weekend, who admired the local post’s community and facility.
Jerrold Wilson of Harrison, Ohio, is serving as American Legion’s Vice Commander after more than 40 years with the organization. During his tour of Indiana Legions, Wilson visited Fairmount on Saturday.
“This is an impressive community, an impressive American Legion Post,” Wilson said. “They seem to be doing a lot of really good things here for this area.”
Wilson was especially impressed by the post’s display of military craft outside their building, including a helicopter, a jet plane and a tank.
“I found out that if a war breaks out they’ve got plenty of equipment,” Wilson said. “That’s impressive.”
Wilson said he and his wife are especially focused on raising money for children and youth, as well as caring for fellow veterans.
“We believe leave no veteran behind and we try to get out and help them the best we can,” Wilson said.
Local veteran Steve Herniak said he was honored that Wilson would visit their post.
“It’s not very often that a post of our size gets a visit by an officer that high up in the legion,” Herniak said. “We had a great turnout for him. He was a really super guy to talk to.”
Herniak said Wilson encouraged the post to continue the work they do in the community, including supporting local school programs, athletics and serving veterans in need. Herniak said the post supports a variety of nonprofit organizations, including Hoosier Burn Camp, a camp for children who have been burned in fires, and Let My Light Shine, a local group that aims to place a light at each veteran’s grave.
“We do a lot to support the community,” Herniak said.
Herniak also noted that the American Legion of Indiana secured $380,000 in benefits for veterans, more than 50,000 veterans received charitable donations, and more than $390,000 was given in emergency aid for veterans and their families.
“The state is pretty proud of that,” Herniak said.
The post will be hosting a free lunch on Veterans Day for veterans and their families from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.