In June of this year a Herald reporter documented the closure of Earl Faulkner Post 6, The American Legion. As adjutant of Earl Faulkner Post 6, I would like to give you a brief history of the post and consider the countless hours Post 6 members have donated to our community.
In 1926, a group of World War I veterans got together and decided to try for a charter with The American Legion. The mottoes for the Legion include “Vets helping Vets,” “For God and Country,” and “Still Serving America.” This group of veterans was granted a charter and moved into a post home at about 38th and Broadway. The years 1929 and 1930 were bad ones and Post 6 fell arrears in utility payments and taxes. In an effort to repay the debts and display allegiance to the city of Everett, Post 6 donated 140 acres of property to the city. That property is now The American Legion Memorial Golf Course and The American Legion Memorial Park – worth a great deal of money.
The Post was named Earl Faulkner Post 6 in recognition of a WWI private who was killed in France while operating machine guns. In 1945 Earl Faulkner Post 6 negotiated with the U.S. government to purchase the building that had been the USO at 2818 Wetmore in Everett. The transaction was completed and Post 6 moved into the building in February of 1946.
Since 1946 Earl Faulkner Post 6 has done huge things. Thousands of hours have been donated to Boy’s and Girl’s State (a program designed to familiarize our youth with the hands-on activities of state government), American Legion Baseball, the children’s Christmas parties, participation with Fircrest Habilitation Center for the developmentally disabled and, of course, assistance to our veterans. Last Thanksgiving and Christmas I took food and gifts to families in need. And this is a small part of what Post 6 has done.
On June 18, we closed our doors. For 75 years we have given help and support to our community and no one seems to care. We have spent countless hours helping the homeless and now we are homeless. I recently talked to Helen Jackson about the support and involvement that Henry M. “Scoop” Jackson gave to Post 6. Mayors, senators, councilmen and congressmen have walked with Earl Faulkner Post 6 on the Fourth of July and Veterans Day.
On a personal note, it reminds me of coming back from Vietnam. After all you’ve done, no one seems to care.
Earl Faulkner Post 6, The American Legion
Everett
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