By Jim Beers, Contributing Writer
CHESTER — For years the American Legion in Chester has made sure to keep local veterans in mind during the Christmas holidays. Members of Post 487 visit vets and take gifts to let them know that they have not been forgotten at Christmas.
Members of the American Legion in Chester visited local Veterans that reside at Three Springs Lodge and The Manor at Craig Farms in Chester on Wednesday December 22. The Annual Christmas visit allows Legionnaires to visit Veterans and present them with gifts for the season. Pictured here (seated, left to right) are Veteran residents of The Manor at Craig Farms, Leonard Diercks, James Jeremiah, Floyd Morgan, and Jack Watson. Delivering the Christmas greetings and gifts are (back row, left to right) American Legion Members, Lee Hollaway, Roland Wagner, and Ben Picou. Jim Beers Photo
More specifically veterans who live at Three Springs Lodge and The Manor at Craig Farms in Chester are visited and presented gifts. This year there were three veterans living at Three Springs Lodge and four veterans residing at The Manor at Craig Farms.
American Legion members (left to right) Ben Picou, Lee Hollaway, and Roland Wagner visit with Harry Montroy at Three Springs Lodge in Chester as part of the Annual Christmas visit to local veterans. Besides visiting the veterans, Legionnaires presented Montroy with a Christmas gift.Photo By Farida Hollaway
From year-to-year, the number of American Legion members who make the visits varies. This year, there were three Post 487 members who took time out from their busy holiday schedules to visit the local veterans.
Legion members (left to right) Ben Picou, Lee Hollaway, and Roland Wagner, visit Mike Woods, at Three Springs Lodge in Chester as part of the Annual Christmas visit to veterans. The Legionnaires spent time with Woods and presented him with a Christmas gift as part of the event. Farida Hollaway Photo
Those members included Lee Hollaway, who serves as coordinator of the activity, Roland Wagner, and Ben Picou. The threesome made their annual pilgrimage on Wednesday December 22.
American Legion members (left to right) Roland Wagner, Ben Picou, and Lee Hollaway, visit local Veteran, Alvin Wunderlich, Wednesday December 22 at Three Springs Lodge in Chester. The event was part of the Annual Christmas Visit program that the Chester Legion conducts. Legionnaires enjoy visiting with the Veterans and present them with a Christmas gift prior to concluding the event. Farida Hollaway Photo
Their first visit took place at 10:00 a.m. at Three Springs Lodge. There they visited Harry Montroy, Mike Woods, and Alvin Wunderlich. While there, the men had an opportunity to visit with the current Legionnaires and accept their gifts.
Following the conclusion of that visit, Hollaway, Wagner and Picou traveled across town to the Manor at Craig Farms where they had the pleasure of visiting Leonard Dierks, James Jeremiah, Floyd Morgan, and Jack Watson.
At The Manor, all four veterans came out to the lobby where they gathered in comfortable lounge chairs and visited with the Legionnaires, Manor staff and others who happened by the lounge area. Hollaway presented each veteran with his gift prior to departing the event.
Hollaway said, “Years ago we had many more veterans to visit and present gifts to, but as the years have gone by, that number has decreased. It is sad, but as time goes on, older veterans have passed on.”
The 2021 event was deemed a huge success and Legionnaires and Veterans alike enjoyed the annual visit. Hollaway, Wagner and Picou pledge that they fully intend to continue the tradition next year and encourage other members of the Chester American Legion to join them in carrying out the event in 2022.