The dedication of an Eatonville-based American post to youths and its community has earned state and national recognition. During the American Legion state convention July 13-16 in Grand Mound, the organization presented Mt. Tacoma Post 148 with its Post Excellence Award. Out of 170 posts in Washington, Mt. Tacoma is the only one to receive the honor this year. The award on behalf of national and state officers is for participation in children and youth activities, community service, veterans affairs and rehabilitation, membership and veteran advocacy. Post 148 sponsors an American Legion baseball team through Eatonville High School. The team has qualified for the playoffs the past two years. The post also works with the Fire Cadets and Scouts programs, sends students to Boys and Girls State, and is planning a speech program on the Constitution to increase scholarship opportunities for local students. For community service, the post furnishes and maintains American flags that are hung annually on street light poles in Eatonville, sponsors a float in the town's annual Independence Day parade, and provides a color guard for the town's Christmas parade. In addition, the post donates to local charities and disposes of unserviceable American flags. The latter, done annually, is open to citizens who drop off old flags at the post's hall at 123 Rainier Ave. Rob Donaldson, the post's service officer, doubles as the American Legion district officer. He sees several people each week to help them with disability claims, pensions, widow and orphan benefits, burial benefits, financial planning, and job assistance. Officials said Post 148 is also working with other programs to reduce or eliminate homelessness among veterans. And it plans to open a veterans service office at the hall on Aug. 24. The office would be open on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Post 148's vice commander is active in Veteran Outreach through the Pierce County Fair in Graham, local resource events, and the Pierce County Veterans Resource Fair. A resource fair is being planned for Eatonville so local veterans don't have to go to Olympia or Tacoma for assistance. The post received a second award at the recent state convention in recognition of meeting its goal of 51 members over the past year. It's the first time in several years that the membership goals have been reached, according to Donaldson. The awards were accepted by Donaldson, who as post vice commander was the Mt. Tacoma group's delegate for the convention. Donaldson can be contacted at 253-720-2788 for additional information involving Post 148 or American Legion services. The American Legion, whose national headquarters is in Indianapolis, Ind., was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a veterans organization. Focusing on service to veterans, service members and communities, the non-profit Legion currently has an international membership of more than 2.4 million in 14,000 posts worldwide. The posts are organized into 55 departments GÇô one each for the 50 states, along with the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, France, Mexico and the Philippines.
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