Brenda Frutell, (left) Auxiliary President and Ellen O’Brien, Bar Manager are pictured above with the aluminum tabs the Bristol Legion has collected over the last year. (Photo by Laurie Eads)

Charles Harker Post 143 is the official name of the American Legion post in Bristol. Founded in 1945, it is named for one of the first Bristol area residents to give his life in the service of his country in World War II. He was serving on the USS Arizona when the ship was attacked and sunk by the Japanese on December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Post 143 is actually the home base for four active organizations, all under the American Legion umbrella. More information on all of them can be found on the Legion’s new website at www.bristolamericanlegion.org. The phone number at the Legion headquarters on Maple Street is 848-4002.

Eligibility for membership in the American Legion itself is restricted to veterans who served in the military during war time, specific periods that are so designated by Congress, such as the Korean or Viet Nam wars. All veterans serving since 1990 have been eligible to join, because of the ongoing conflicts in the Persian Gulf, Iraq, and Afganistan. Post 143 currently has 498 members. Pete Owens, the new post commander, has been serving since May 2010.

The American Legion Auxiliary, now numbering 275 members, is open to the mothers, wives, and daughters of Legion members. The current president, Brenda Futrell, helps oversee a wide range of charitable activities, some in conjunction with the other three Legion groups.

The Sons of the American Legion, currently boasting 412 members, is open to the sons and grandsons of Legion members. Dave Lenaway is the commander of SAL.

The American Legion Riders is the name of the newest and fastest-growing group in the Legion family, consisting of motorcyclists who take part in bike rides for various charities. Roy Moon is the director of this group.

The AL Auxiliary is in the process of recruiting 30 persons between the ages of 8 and 15 to participate in a “walking American flag” during the Bristol Homecoming parade at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 10. Shirts of red, white, or blue will be provided to those taking part. Those interested can consult a sign-up sheet at the post or call 848-4002.

All four Legion groups have donated money to the Karsyn Bell Project, a play area in the form of a pirate ship, which will be erected in Congdon Park in memory of a Bristol girl. They are also actively selling tickets for a raffle, in which two halves of beef will be prizes, with the drawing taking place on July 10, during the Homecoming. Tickets are $5 each, or 5 for $20.

The Legion family routinely saves and collects tabs from aluminum cans. They recently sold 216 pounds of tabs and donated the receipts to the Ronald McDonald House in South Bend.

Another current project of the Auxiliary entails providing backpacks for 20 needy children from Bristol Elementary School. Each backpack will be filled with school supplies and snacks, and each child will also receive a $12 gift card toward the purchase of new shoes.

On Saturday, July 24, the four Legion groups will be sponsoring “The Battle of the Bands” at the post from 2:00 to 10:00 p.m. Six local bands will participate, after which those attending will vote for the best one. Tickets are $10 each.

The Legion has regular Friday fish dinners and other food events, which serve as fundraisers for the Legion and for other nonprofit organizations which partner with them. The proceeds go for specific projects, such as sponsoring the Legion baseball team for teenagers and scholarships for students.

A large portion of funds raised go to help individual veterans in need. One example is the Bobby George Memorial Fund, which was established to help Legion members and others experiencing financial hardship.

Bristol residents, even those who are not members of the American Legion or its affiliates, appreciate the efforts of Post 143 to support community activities and offer help to those in need.