American Legion Family members bring Christmas to Bath VA Hospital

By Barbara J Beebe, Broome County, N.Y.,  American Legion PR Chairman

 About 35 members of the American Legion Family from five surrounding Counties of Chemung, Schuyler, Stueben, Tioga and Broome County made their yearly visit to the Bath VA Nursing Campus on Dec. 8 to assist with the "Bath Holiday Gift Shop" Program chaired by Addy Butler of Post 1390 - Maine, NY.

 The Holiday Gift Shop program sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary, allows both the hospitalized/rehab and nursing home veterans to select Christmas gifts for their family members. Several Auxiliary Units, Legionnaires and the Sons of the American Legion were represented in this very worthwhile project. The Volunteers are like Santa's elves making the spirit of Christmas come alive for the veterans enabling their families to receive gifts from their loved ones far from home. Volunteers from the Broome County American Legion, Auxiliary & SAL boarded a bus at 6:45 am departing from the Johnson City Post 758 where they joined with other Ladies of the Auxiliary, Legionnaires and SAL members spent the day wrapping presents in cheerful Christmas paper and then brown wrapped for the US Postal Service to be mailed at no cost to the veterans through the donations given to the Bath Holiday Gift Shop's program.
  Members of the American Legion Family of Broome County boarded a bus Dec. 14 carrying gifts and fruit baskets for the yearly "Gift to the Yanks" Program chaired by Glenn Butler, also of Post 1390. These members bring the Christmas Spirit to the Nursing Home patients through their caroling and gift giving to veterans. Moreover, the fruit baskets go to the Nursing Station for all to share.