Legion Post Awards Funds To Area Organizations

Photo by Ann Mead Ash
Representatives from the New Holland American Legion Post 662 as well as the beneficiaries of Legion donations including (from left) Ken Allison of New Holland Ambulance, Pastor Kevin Readman of the New Holland Ministerium, post adjutant Bill Nuse, Home Association president Bill Park, Lamar Martin of the United Veterans Council, and Bill Twaddell of the Garden Spot Midget Athletic Association, gathered at the Legion Post on Sept. 26.

By Ann Mead Ash

New Holland American Legion Post 662, 35 Brubaker Ave., New Holland, awarded checks to several area organizations on Sept. 26. Recipients included the ELANCO Public Library, ELANCO Ministerium, Garden Spot Midget Athletic Association (GSMAA), Garden Spot Youth Soccer, Liberty Fire Company, New Holland Ambulance, New Holland Farmers Day Association, New Holland United Veterans Council, and the Scotland School for Veterans' Children, which is located in Chambersburg. A number of representatives of some of the organizations that received funds were present to accept checks from Post adjutant Bill Nuse and Home Association president Bill Park of the American Legion.

Pastor Kevin Readman of the ELANCO Ministerium said that the donation was especially appreciated at this time. "(It) allows us to provide services to people in need in our community," said Readman, who noted that the ministerium depends completely on donations collected from the services it holds and from other churches and individuals.

Bill Twaddell, director of GSMAA, said that the funds aid in the organization and management of the many programs the association runs. "It really benefits our youth programs and helps develop all the aspects of sports that we do," said Twaddell, who added that the group now sponsors a football league, a basketball program for girls and boys, and baseball and cheerleading programs that run during football and basketball season.

New Holland Ambulance is a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization, according to representative Ken Allison. "All donations go toward maintenance and equipment we need to serve New Holland," he stated.

The New Holland United Veterans Council serves to bring together area veterans groups. The organization oversees the yearly Memorial Day Pilgrimage that visits 16 cemeteries in the New Holland area and leads off the New Holland Farmers Day Association parade, which kicks off the New Holland Farmers Fair each year. "The operation is totally donation, and we appreciate it very much," said Lamar Martin, council representative.

Nuse said that in addition to local organizations, the post continues to support the Scotland School for Veterans' Children, which was first incorporated in 1895 to educate the orphaned children of Pennsylvanians who died in service to their country.

New Holland Penny Saver - 10/14/2009

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