Santa Claus becomes American Legion Post 50 member on 100th Anniversary
NORTH COUNTY — The American Legion Post 50 celebrated 100 years on Sunday, Dec. 22, at its location on Scott Street in Paso Robles. To celebrate the century, Post 50 received several donations and gained one very special member — Santa Claus.
On a sunny Sunday, American Legion members, along with friends and family, gathered at Post 50 for tamales, drinks, live music, and camaraderie. Chartered in 1919, the American Legion has evolved from a group of war veterans from The Great War into an influential nonprofit organization. In 1924, Paso Robles became home to Post 50 on Spring Street. Its force of local veterans works with community partners to help veterans and their families navigate Veterans Affairs hospitals and clinics, pension issues, and health care needs and provide opportunities for civic engagement and Americanism to local youth.
“Over the course of a couple of years, we migrated and we were put in a couple of different places,” said Post Commander Chris Rohrberg.
Post 50 worked with the city in what some call a contentious battle to get the legion into its own building separate from the Paso Robles Senior Center, which is what the city originally intended.
“We actually fought to get two separate buildings and on Oct. 29, 2002, this building was dedicated by Brigadier [General] Glenn Muggelberg,” added Rohrberg.
The post then grew to include the American Legion Riders Chapter 50, chartered in 2007; American Legion Auxiliary Unit 50, chartered in 2009; and the Sons of the American Legion Squadron 50, chartered in 2011.
Post 50 currently has 151 members and are dedicated to making regular donations to local nonprofits including Paso Cares, Toy Bank of Greater Paso Robles, SLO Food Bank, Honor Flight, and more.
“Thank you all for being here and celebrating with us,” Rohrberg addressed the crowded room.
Two donations were made that will help fund Post 50’s Be the One initiative.
Lt. Commander Select Ret. TOPGUN Instructor Hal “Bull” Schmitt, who is also owner of Volatus Wine, made a donation on behalf of 46 West Wineries.
“We were just happy today to donate to your initiative. To get some gaming systems for younger vets,” Schmitt said. “We know there’s a lot of problems going on there, they need little sets of community and different missions, so hopefully this donation would help that out.”
The mission of The American Legion’s Be the One initiative is to reduce the rate of veteran suicide. The nationwide program is working to lessen the stigma associated with mental health treatment and empowering everyone to take appropriate action when a veteran or servicemember may be at risk.
Leon Tackitt of the nonprofit Pleasant Valley Wine Trail also made a donation to the initiative. Both donations made a huge stride in the initiative for the post, allowing them to meet their goal of four gaming systems for Be the One.
According to the Post Service Officer Tim Francis, veteran suicides are running between 17 and 22 per day.
“The second part of that is gaming … we want to see the veterans not sit in their room, close the windows and the blinds, and play violent games by themselves because they become introverts … despondent, and then they become depressed, then they’re on antidepressants. That sometimes leads to suicide,” explains Francis.
By having gaming systems at the Legion, hopes are to have supervision in case signs of anxiety or something even worse shows up in a veteran while playing. The other hope is to drive more younger members to join the Legion. Right now, Post 50 is hosting a membership drive where they are picking up a member’s first year of their registration money for free.
Speaking of new membership — Post 50 gained a special member on Sunday. Santa Claus has been known to drop by the Legion from time to time and help out when he can. What better way to celebrate 100 years of the American Legion Post 50 than to have Santa officially become a member?
You can learn more about the American Legion Post 50 at pasoroblesamericanlegion.org/#f4f7a182-4aa7-4fde-bd88-16226c32f7f4
Featured Image: American Legion Post 50 Commander Chris Rohrberg, Santa Claus, and Sgt. Shelly Anderson (Ret.) pose together at the post’s 100th anniversary celebration. Photo by Camille DeVaul
