The United States Memorial Day website states that Memorial Day has become less of a remembrance day and more of a celebrated three-day weekend to usher in summer, vacations and barbecues.However, this is not the case for Falconís own Dane R. Balcon American Legion Post 2008. The Post is named for Dane Balcon, a Falcon resident who lost his life in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005.Ian Carney, a 22-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force and current commander of Post 2008, said he leads 214 veterans, their spouses and children in service activities to provide for the communityís veterans and honor the fallen.One such recent event was the eighth annual Vets 4 Vets Barbecue held at the Samís Club outside Fort Carson to aid homeless veterans in Colorado Springs. Carney said Veterans of Foreign War Warriors, four American Legion Riders posts, Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association, Special Forces Motorcycle Club and the Veterans Motorcycle Club supported the event. He added that Post 2008 actively supports the El Paso County Homeless Veterans Coalition. ìThe Vets 4 Vets was a local idea, and there are two chapters in Colorado ó one in Denver and the other here in Colorado Springs,î Carney said. ìNew chapters are being created in Arizona. The Vets 4 Vets Colorado Springs Chapter is the largest contributor to the El Paso County Homeless Vets Coalition.îCarney said the Coalition takes seven to 14 homeless veterans and their dependents to the Clarion Hotel for 45 days; veterans with families are the priority. While there, they receive education, help with employment resources and mechanical assistance for vehicles. ìThis yearís barbecue was very successful and allowed us to contribute the same monetary commitment as last year,î Carney said.Post 2008 also participates in game night at Bonaventure of Colorado Springs ó a senior living and memory care center. Carney said a long-time member of the Post is now a resident at the facility. Game night used to be both cribbage and poker, but the one post member who knows how to play cribbage has moved from the area. ìNow, itís two tables of poker with snacks, drinks and good stories,î Carney said.The Post honors veterans who have passed. Together with the Boy Scout troop and Cub Scout pack they charter, the Post places American flags on the gravesites of veterans buried in the Eastonville Cemetery.ìWe have placed flags for the last four years on both Veterans Day and Memorial Day,î Carney said. A member of the post has completed the research on everyone buried in Eastonville Cemetery and mapped out where each of the gravesites are located. One interesting fact: The oldest veteran grave in the cemetery belongs to a Civil War soldier named William S.îBillyî Coon, Carney said. The Post has endeavored to replace Coonís aged headstone with a new one.American flags will be placed again this year on Saturday, May 26.The American Legion Post 2008 has teamed up with JAKs Brewing Co. to recognize scholastic excellence and military studies in the local community. Carney said, ìJAKs has been a huge supporter of the postís activities Ö . This is the first year for a scholarship fundraiser.î JAKs has helped support the effort to reward a scholarship to one Junior ROTC senior from each of the three District 49 high schools, he said.ìThe American Legion is the largest veterans service organization. Any and all qualified veterans, active duty, separated and retired are welcome to join,î Carney said. Family members can participate by being part of the Auxiliary, Sons of the American Legion, and the American Legion Riders.ìMembership has become a concern of the national leadership,î Carney said. ìOnce around four million members, the American Legion has a national membership of approximately two million today.îMembership in Post 2008 is 214 strong. Their biggest event is coming up, Carney said. ìThe American Legion Post 2008 Annual Golf Tournament on July 21 is our main fundraiser for the year,î he said.ìWe try to raise enough money to afford our annual budget. The money we bring in goes back to our primary focus of veterans and their families and giving back to the Falcon community.îTo learn more about the American Legion Dane R, Balcon Post 2008, visit http://alpost2008.org.
