Birnamwood Legion Post 341 celebrates 100 years

BIRNAMWOOD — With beer, burgers, brats and a band, the Darling-Gunderson Post 341 celebrated the 100th anniversary of the founding of the national American Legion on Sunday afternoon.

Local band Lovin’ Country provided music to dance or tap one’s toes to as about 200 people joined in the festivities at Birnamwood Park.

In a somber moment, Post Commander Dave Humblet took a moment to call attention to the empty table set for the soldiers who did not make it home from battle.

The rest of the afternoon was filled with food, music and raffles to raise money for the aging building the post uses for the monthly meetings. According to Humblet, there was significant water damage in the spring to the basement and the post will probably need $30,000 to address the initial round of renovations.

Humblet explained that the major contribution of Post 341 is to provide military support at funerals and other services.

“Ho-Chunk invites us to provide services at their Vietnam Memorial service held every March 29 and also to provide Memorial Day services,” said Humblet.

He also noted they provide the firing squad and color guard for the ceremony at Summer Twister, at Wild Life Campground in Birnamwood, always held the last weekend in July. Summer Twister provides money to help struggling veterans.

This is also the 100th anniversary of the founding of the national auxiliary and the women were on hand to help with serving food.

“We’re here to support the post,” said auxiliary president Kim Johanning.

She noted that the auxiliary holds a huge basket raffle during the Memorial Day chicken dinner, which is their biggest fundraiser. The money goes toward one scholarship for a Wittenberg-Birnamwood graduate who has a family connection to an American Legion member. Any other money gets distributed to local causes such as providing musical entertainment for shut-ins or making donations to the Ronald McDonald Houses in Wisconsin.

On July 30 legislation was signed that declares the United States has been in a state of war since Dec. 7, 1941. The American Legion sought the declaration as a way to honor service members who were killed or wounded during undeclared periods of war. Anyone who has served federal active duty in the United States armed forces since Dec. 7, 1941, or has been honorably discharged or is still serving is now eligible for membership in the American Legion.

Melvin Opper has lived in Birnamwood all of his life and has been a member of the American Legion for 64 years. He feels it was a good move to expand the eligibility list to include those soldiers.

“It’s a great organization that gets you the help you need, when you need it,” said Opper.