Longmont veterans’ group holds inaugural community open house

The American Legion Post 32 hosted a community-oriented open house event Saturday, the first of its kind for the longstanding veterans’ group in Longmont.

The open house brought dozens of veterans, their family members and friends to the post, at 315 S. Bowen St., for a free event packed with games, a silent auction and opportunities to learn what the American Legion does throughout the year. It was spearheaded by Post 32 member Chad Wiese, who started working with a committee in February to bring the event to life.

Wiese, who served in Iraq, called the open house an attempt to bring a younger generation of veterans to the post and combat the idea that the organization is only for older veterans.

“I was just kind of trying to bring in the community, and show them that we’re not just some bar that retirees go to,” he said.

In the parking lot outside, guests could get their faces painted, buy handmade root beer floats or participate in a cornhole tournament. The proceeds from the tournament’s entry fee and refreshment purchases will go toward upgrading the post’s security system, which Wiese said is needed after a string of break-ins and vandalism incidents.

Inside the post were booths representing several veterans’ organizations, including American Legion Baseball, the American Legion Auxiliary, Scout Troop 67 and the American Legion Riders. Representatives from the Boulder County Veteran Service Office and the Veterans Affairs Denver Regional Office were also on site to answer questions about VA health care and help with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs claims processing.

“It really helps just to go around and talk to people,” said Post 32 member Willis Corcoran, who attended the open house to learn more about VA benefits.

A major goal of the open house was to educate visitors about the PACT Act of 2022, which expands VA health care to cover veterans who have been exposed to toxic substances. Oscar Aguirre, veteran homeless outreach coordinator with the regional office, said he aimed to get as many veterans enrolled in the health care system as possible during the event, which ran from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

“A lot of people don’t know how (the PACT Act) applies to them,” Aguirre said. “What we’re trying to do is reestablish relationships between us on the federal side, and the grassroots community.”

Post members hope to continue open houses like Saturday’s on an annual basis, if not more frequently. Aguirre said he’d like to attend future iterations and keep bringing representation from the regional office, as well.

Annette Johnson, commander of the American Legion Department of Colorado, said the family-friendly nature of the event both introduces kids to local veterans and introduces a new crowd of veterans to the post — an accomplishment similar to Wiese’s goal for the event.

“I think opening up to the general community will find veterans who are maybe not in the American Legion,” Johnson said. “Being able to offer them some information about their benefits and making sure that everything is on file … I think it’s an amazing opportunity.”