The old, impressive stones of the American Legion Post 509 hall reflect its long standing in Ama, but its members worry without new blood and input its future, as well as 49 acres of land it owns, is uncertain.
“We’re hoping, but not coping,” member Albert Joseph said of the post also known as Friloux-Robinson American Legion Post on River Road.
It’s what prompted his “call to arms” announcement of an Aug. 8 meeting to invite veterans to join and help save the post.
“You are wanted and, yes, you are all needed,” states Joseph’s invitation. “Do your part in reviving and rejuvenating the proudest American Legion Post in St. Charles Parish history.”
Although the post has 65 members, the monthly meetings held every second Tuesday of the month are averaging as few as 12 people and often barely enough for a quorum, Joseph said. Attendance was closer 40 in the past.
They’ve struggled to find the leadership to keep the post viable, so much so that its commander, William Becnel, is 92 years old and was among the few willing to take the role.“No one wants to come here and take hold of things,” he said.
Joseph observed the post’s downturn starting around 1995. “For me, it’s just to keep it going,” he said. “If we don’t get help, we’re not going to get any bigger.”
Joseph, who has been with the post 50 years, also served as its commander for 10 years. But, at 87 years old and recently having brain surgery, he’s unsure if he can continue his membership with the post.
But he, as well as fellow post members, wants to help with dealing with another unexpected goal – to decide the future of 49 acres in a parish where land is highly sought.
As a member for 44 years, Post Secretary John “J.C.” Clark III agreed.
“We’d entertain anything,” said Clark, who also has served as post commander.
As one of the people who pushed for ways to boost the post and projects, including a housing development, over the years, Clark said there is definitely a need for leadership. He said the post mission is to take care of wartime veterans, their families and children, as well as the community.“Our post has not had a flag flown here since the Fourth of July,” Clark said.
At 68 years old, he considers himself one of the young members who saw firsthand older members’ resistance to change.
“I was a housing commissioner and advised them of a home program with the federal government with only having to come up with 10 percent to do it,” Clark said. “But it was rejected and it would have generated revenue for the post.”
The post lacks the funds for this project today, he said.Clark described their situation as pathetic, but emphasized something has to be done or the post could lose its charter and the land. Asked how close this is to happening, he replied, “Very close.”
Over the years, Joseph said many plans were discussed on using the property, but none came to fruition.
Chartered in 1946, the post began mainly for World War II veterans and paid $50,000 for the site where the hall stands today. Joseph, who helped broker the deal, recalled seeing the “For Sale” sign on the land.
Within two weeks of getting the price, Joseph said they had the deed in their hands. It included the post building, a storage building and the acreage.
“Our thing was to get Bingo,” he said.
But it didn’t happen and the land remained idle.
“We’re sitting on a whole bunch of real estate,” Joseph mused.
Over the years, the post drew members from St. Charles Parish, as well as surrounding parishes, and has held activities like other posts such as toy giveaways. While rights were sold to do things like cut trees and railroad work on the property, the acreage remained intact over the years.
“Over the years, we talked about it, but we didn’t have anybody who wanted to do the footwork of a project such as Bingo and the 501(c)3 so they could do something with the land,” Joseph said.
But Joseph maintained they should be doing more in activities, as well as using the acreage to help the community.
He wanted to build an Olympic-sized swimming pool, which Joseph called his pet project. But it, like the other ideas discussed over the years, went nowhere.
“It just went down,” he lamented. “We didn’t have thinking people to get it rolling.”
There also was talk about building a “big pavilion” to boost the hall as a rental location for bigger parties, which would have been a welcome addition with it being able to handle around 200 people, he said.
The pavilion idea also fell by the wayside.
“It should be a better asset to Ama than what it is,” Joseph added. “I’m thinking we could do good if we could get somebody to come in and buy part of it for development.”He discussed the possibility of selling a portion of it for residential housing.
“We’re just waiting and seeing what’s going to happen … how we’re going to deal with the future,” Joseph said. “Right now the future doesn’t look too good, but we’re not giving up.”
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