Belleville Sons Donate $1,000

submitted by Rusty Myers, Adjutant, Sons of the American Legion Squadron 105

(21 MARCH 2024) – BELLEVILLE, NJ – For the fourth year, Sons of the American Legion (SAL) Squadron 105 of Belleville, NJ has donated to the Detachment Commanders Project, a state-level project benefitting New Jersey’s veteran’s community. The donation this year was for $1,000, which will go to the Paramus Veterans Home to build an outdoor recreation area for the home’s residents.

Each year, the American Legion Family conducts a fundraising drive, where the American Legion, the American Legion Auxiliary (ALA), and the Sons of the American Legion raise a significant amount of money to complete a punch list of programs throughout the state. The three organizations create a list of perhaps eight priorities they raise money for, plus each group has a side project they do in addition to the larger project.

Last year, SAL Detachment Commander Mark Natale raised money for the New Jersey Rett Syndrome Association, something that hits close to home for him with a family member being affected by Rett Syndrome. This year, SAL Detachment Commander Keith Barnes wanted to raise money to build a recreation area at the Paramus Veterans Home, so the vets could enjoy the outdoors. Both of these projects were in addition to that year’s $125,000-plus American Legion Department Commander’s Project, which funded things like helping homeless veterans, veteran’s suicide awareness, furnishings and improvements for the NJ’s veterans’ homes, upkeep and maintenance of New Jersey’s war memorials, and the purchasing of service dogs. The goal is to do things each year which directly impact the lives of veterans right here at home in NJ.

Commander Barnes’ goal this year is $20,000 – and Squadron 105 of Belleville voted to do its part by providing $1,000. This project will set up a recreation area at Paramus with permanent outdoor checkers and chess tables, shuffleboard courts, bocce ball courts, a miniature golf area, and more.

“This project is what we do…” stated Commander Barnes in his letter to squadrons throughout the state.

Squadron 105 presented Commander Barnes with the check at his Official Visit to Essex County, along with Department Commander Larry Bishop and ALA Department President Sharon Knight, who both also accepted donations to their projects. In total, Essex County gave just short of $6,000 between all three projects.

After the meeting, members of Squadron 105 took pictures with “the big check” and the Detachment Commander. In total, Belleville’s Sons have given $4,000 since 2020 to the Commander’s Projects, the majority of which has been possible because of fundraising through our incredibly generous Belleville community.