By Robin GOLDSWORTHY

On Saturday morning during the monthly community breakfast of American Legion Post 288 and VFW Post 1614, the Legion’s new commander Darren Azarian was introduced.

Azarian, 50, who was installed earlier in the month, greeted guests and outlined his plans for the Post.

“I’m very proud to be holding this position,” he said adding that it will be hard to carry on the legacy of past commanders.

Before introducing Azarian, fellow veteran Lynn McGinnis gave an overview of the contributions made by outgoing commander Jerry Collins. Among these was the creation of a fund to help vets in need. McGinnis shared that when Collins learned that a WWII vet up north had his car burglarized, resulting in the loss of his medals, Collins brought him to the Hall. He then surprised the man by replacing his medals.

Actions like these are part of the legacy that Azarian wants to maintain while adding new and exciting components to the local Post. Among these is an assertive stance in recruitment.

“I want to reach out to my generation of veteran – the Gulf War vet,” Azarian said.

Unfortunately, this is not an easy task. There is no centralized list of local vets that can be accessed. Many times outreach is done through the local newspaper and by word of mouth.

This challenge is not new. In a previous interview, Vietnam veteran Mike Baldwin detailed his involvement with the American Legion and VFW. He said that though he is active now in the Posts, his involvement was delayed. After serving in Vietnam, he said his priorities were getting a job and raising a family.

“I was busy raising two boys, going to school and getting a career,” he said. “I didn’t think a lot about the American Legion or the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars).”

But Azarian wants local vets to know of the resources the Posts offer, including camaraderie and navigating Veterans Affairs. He wants to honor the work of the Vietnam vets at the Posts while getting more members in the doors and participating.

“The participation by the members is essential,” he said. “We can’t be successful without everyone’s participation, which works to everyone’s advantage.”

Azarian wants to also turn his attention to examining the efficiency and structure of the organization. His hope is that by streamlining certain aspects of the organization, more can be done that will not only better the vets but the community in which they donate so much of their time.

One thing he doesn’t want to change is the monthly outreach breakfasts held at the Hall on the second Saturday of the month. The vets’ breakfast is open to vets, their friends and family and members of local volunteer organizations. This informal gathering is a good way for vets to learn what American Legion Post 288 and VFW Post 1614 are about.

American Legion Post 288 has been chartered for over 90 years, with about 80 of those years at the Hall’s current location at 4011 La Crescenta Ave. The American Legion Hall played a key role in the flood of 1934 when the building, then located at Fairway and Rosemont avenues, was literally knocked off its foundation when floodwaters barreled down from the nearby hillsides. Since being relocated to its current home, the Hall has hosted many civic functions including fundraising bingo games and the annual St. Patrick’s Day dinners. Both the American Legion and VFW members are active in many youth organizations, including sponsoring Boy Scout Troop 288 and helping with the early morning post-Prom Plus cleanup duties at the YMCA.

American Legion Post 288 meets the first Wednesday of the month at 7:30 p.m. (it’s dark in July) and the VFW Post 1614 meets the third Wednesday of the month at 7:30 p.m. Meetings are held at the American Legion Hall.

  robin goldsworthy