Legion presents grant to local veterans

American Legion Post 121 presented a $500 check today to a local disabled veteran injured while serving in Iraq.

Thanks to a half-million dollar check from The Coalition to Salute America's Heroes to the national headquarters of The American Legion, Post Commander Henry Watson presented a $500 grant to Gordon Spears during a ceremony at the monthly meeting in Blairsville.

"It is with sincere thanks that we present this grant today to a fellow military veteran who served our country with honor and pride," Commander Watson said. "We present this on behalf of your fellow veterans and a grateful nation."

"These grants are just a small token of appreciation for the sacrifices made by so many of America's men and women in uniform," said Thomas J. Palma, general manager of the Coalition. "Our coalition was able to raise of lot of money from caring people but we do not have the distribution network of The American Legion. The Legion is a well-respected organization with a presence in communities across America. The American Legion will do an excellent job in getting those grants to deserving veterans."

"This is a perfect partnership - The Coalition's generosity teamed with The American Legion's "Heroes to Hometown (H2H" program, " Commander Watson said. "Our members stand ready to assist with veterans and their families along with community members of our local H2H team in providing a vast array of assistance to ease their return to a productive civilian life."

It is not the first time that the two organizations have teamed up to award grants to disabled veterans. The American Legion distributed checks for the coalition in 2005.

American Legion National Commander Marty Conatser said that The American Legion is honored to participate in such a worthy project. "The program was so successful two years ago that The American Legion's National Executive Committee unanimously passed a resolution at our last convention authoring our assistance in this great endeavor," Conatser said.

The funds are being divided into $500 grants and awarded to veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq across the country who are rated with disabilities of 30 percent or more. The American Legion has assumed all distribution costs, meaning that 1,000 grants will be awarded - the entire amount of the Coalition's contribution.

Post 121 is honored to deliver this gift to our comrade here in Blairsville," Commander Watson said. "We can never fully heal all of the trauma of war, but we can show our gratitude to those who went in harm's way for America."

The Coalition to Salute America's Heroes, www.saluteheros.org, is a nonprofit organization that was created to provide a way for individuals, corporations and others to help severely wounded and disabled Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans and their families rebuild their lives.

The American Legion,www.legion.org, was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism and patriotic youth programs. The Legion's 2.7 million wartime veterans work for the betterment of their communities through more than 14,000 posts across the nation.