At Valleau Cemetery, Ridgewood NJ placing flags at the graves of Veterans. Thanks to American Legion Post 53 and Andy Haderthauer for allowing us the opportunity to participate in this beautiful tradition.
EOD Warrior Foundation helps EOD veterans and recognizes the importance of historical organization, The American Legion
February 28,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ , Over the course of two days in 1919, March 15-17, members of the American Expeditionary Force met for the first caucus of The American Legion in Paris, France. Little did they know the organization they would form, would go on to become the nation’s largest wartime veterans service organization, and one of the most influential nonprofits in the U.S.
“We are very proud of The American Legion, and appreciative of all of the great work they have done over the last 98 years,” explains Nicole Motsek, executive director of the EOD Warrior Foundation. “They have touched many lives, set an incredible example, and made a tremendous impact on our country.”
There are many reasons to love The American Legion, including these five:
- Advocating patriotism and honor. Especially during the times when people are questioning and marching against the government, it’s great to have an organization that reminds people why it is important to have a spirit of patriotism. It is this patriotism that reminds us that we have a country are worth fighting for, and it is one of the American Legion’s primary focus areas.
- Mentoring youth. The youth of the nation are the next ones who will help care and protect it. Today’s youth will step into the active duty boots of tomorrow’s veterans. Mentoring them is crucial and is a big part of what The American Legion does. They have created a wide variety of youth programs, ranging from baseball and scholarships to youth cadet law enforcement.
- Promote national security. Without being able to defend the country and its borders, our national security is at risk. The American Legion works to promote a strong national security, making it part of their mission for the protection of us all.
- Temporary financial assistance. The organization has programs to help veteran’s families and veterans themselves when financial crisis arises. Their programs range from providing temporary financial grants to help cover shelter, food, utilities, and health expenses, as well as programs that help veterans who have experienced disasters.
- Fight for veterans. While veterans have fought for the country, The American Legion has their back and fights for them. The organization advocates for benefits for them, offers resources to homeless vets, and has programs and initiatives to help care for the nation’s veterans.
“The organization has helped many people around the country, with no signs of slowing down as they approach their 100th year,” added Motsek.
The American Legion, an organization dedicated to helpfulness, has 2.4 million members, with 14,000 posts around the world. The group was evolved from a group of war-weary veterans during World War I.
The EOD Warrior Foundation is an organization that helps the families of the 7,000 people in our military who are Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technicians, who perform bomb disposal duties. The EOD Warrior Foundation helps this elite group by providing financial relief, therapeutic healing retreats, a scholarship program, care of the EOD Memorial Wall located at Eglin AFB, Fla. and more. Their work is supported by private donations and the generosity of those who support the organization. To learn more about the EOD Warrior Foundation, or see their fundraising events calendar, visit their site at: www.eodwarriorfoundation.org.
