Belmont American Legion Post 58 honored for excellence

BELMONT — American Legion Post 58 in Belmont has worked hard to grow and do even more to support their community, charitable organizations, veterans and service members. Those efforts have been recognized by the American Legion Department of New Hampshire. Charlie Arkwell, Department Vice Commander, on behalf of Department Commander Tom Wiley, presented the Department Commander's Post of Excellence Award to Post 58 at its meeting on Dec. 6. Wiley commended Post 58 its success in expanding membership, raising funds and increasing support to deserving programs and for becoming an integral and respected part of the community.

Post 58 has been raising funds by selling patriotic T-shirts embroidered with "These Colors Don't Run", military bracelets and puzzles, Kettle Korn, sodas and pizza at Old Home Day and in the periods surrounding Memorial Day and Veterans Day and Old Home Day raffles of prizes donated by local businesses. The Post of Excellence Award came with $300 which Post 58 has promptly added to the funds they donate to many causes.

Among those are scholarships and Sportsmanship Awards for Belmont High School graduating Seniors, sponsorship of a BHS Junior to Boys State, a cookout for New Hampshire Veterans Home residents at the Tioga Pavilion and donations to the Belmont Police Explorers' Santa's Helper Fund, the Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and continuous support for programs at the Belmont Senior Center. The Post also donates to the Belmont Baptist Church and St. Joseph's Church food pantries, the NH Veterans Home Resident Benefit Fund, Camp Resilience for wounded warriors in the Lakes Region, the Pease Greeters, the Girl Scouts' Operation Cookie for deployed service members, the Belmont High School Band, Belmont Old Home Day and the Police and Fire Relief Funds.

Post 58 and its family members have also provided much of the leadership and labor involved in getting the Tioga Pavilion built near the Belmont Mill , the covered bridge installed over the Tioga River behind the Mill and the construction of Penstock Park on Main Street. Post 58 has worked with the Belmont High School administration to organize the BHS Community Service Day and then worked with the BHS staff and students to clear the river bank near the mill and the bridge and much of the area between the Tioga Pavilion and the Tioga River. They also worked on clearing the area between Penstock Park and the Tioga River. Post 58 also provides speakers for patriotic assemblies on request from Belmont schools. Post 58 also raised the funds from local businesses and donors to purchase the "Welcome to Belmont" banners and installed them in the downtown area. They organize and conduct the Memorial Day parade and ceremony and place flags on the graves of all veterans buried in Belmont.

Belmont's American Legion Post 58 Commander Rich Stanley, left, receives Department of New Hampshire Post of Excellence Award from Department Vice Commander Charlie Arkwell. (Courtesy photo)