From 1919 to 2019: Concord's American Legion Post 51 celebrates 100 years
CONCORD — What were you doing 100 years ago?
American Legion Post 51, on Wilshire Boulevard in Concord, was just getting started.
Post 51 has been honoring veterans, serving in the community and hosting meetings for a century.
It hosted an open house on its grounds Wednesday to recognize its long-standing contributions to the area.
Post 51 invited the public into its home; talked about its mission goals and what it does; and showed documents of its history.
“It’s a birthday party for the post on the birth date,” said Post 51 Commander Ron Frawley. “The 100th is so big. We have it on our sign to tell the community we are still here after 100 years.”
U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson sent Post 51 a letter recognizing its accomplishments.
“I rise today to recognize the 100th anniversary of American Legion Post 51, located in North Carolina’s Eighth Congressional District. Since its founding on November 20, 1919, Post 51 has made countless contributions to our community,” Hudson wrote.
Post 51 opened its doors on Wilshire Boulevard on Nov. 20, 1919, led by Cmdr. Joe Hartsell.
Since then, the post has been a club for local veterans to join while giving back to the community.
According to its website, the American Legion is “committed to mentoring youth and sponsorship of wholesome programs in our communities, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting strong national security and continued devotion to our fellow service members and veterans.”
American Legion Post 51 has nearly 300 members, and all of them served in the military in some aspect.
Post 51 sponsors local baseball and fast-pitch softball teams, gives Christmas gifts and visits veterans at nursing homes, helps with groups like Boy Scouts, and plants flags at the grave sites of deceased veterans.
“It means continuing the brotherhood that you had when you were in the service,” Frawley said. “You share the brotherhood of serving the country.”
Post 51 has taken the name of Fred Y. McConnell American Legion Post 51 after a Concord native and officer in the Army who was killed in France in 1918 during World War I.
Frawley said he hopes that Concord American Legion Post 51 continues moving strong for at least another 100 years.
“You have to continually recruit the younger service people who are coming out,” Frawley said.
“You don’t have the numbers you had previously. World War I, World War II, Korea, and the Vietnam guys are thinning out, too. Now, we are counting on the Iraqi Freedom, Desert Storm and Afghanistan. You have to attract the younger veterans to come in.”