Lisbon’s Cyclops Post 109 is looking for additional active members to help the organization’s different activities and causes.
Brent Mollenhauer, commander of the Legion, said the group currently has 10 very active members.
“The issue is that many of our more active members are aging out or are facing health ailments that make being at every event harder,” Mollenhauer said.
The organization holds meetings the second Sunday of the month at 6 p.m. at the American Legion Hall in downtown Lisbon.
“We’re not looking for a commitment of more than a couple hours a month,” Mollenhauer said. “If someone were to be involved in everything we do, it doesn’t add up to more than a dozen hours most months.”
Mollenhauer notes that the American Legion does require that members served in active service during their lifetime, and that a conflict of some type was ongoing when that service happened.
Some of the activities the Legion post is involved in include:
• Providing scholarships to high school seniors annually
• Donating U.S. Flags that hang in classrooms in Lisbon Community Schools
• Perform military honors for veterans, including rifle detail and presentation of the flag
• Color detail marches at beginning of Sauerkraut Days parade
• Organize and conduct the Memorial Day parade and ceremonies at Lisbon cemetery
• Put up flags at the Lisbon cemetery for the week surrounding Memorial Day
• Color detail for the Lisbon High School home football games
• Judge the Lisbon fifth grade “What the Flag Means to Me” essay contest and provide dilly bars for the fifth grade when winners are announced
• Give various donations for Lisbon Boosters for sports and the music department
• Preset colors at the Lisbon Veterans Day assembly
• Give a small presentation at the Rehabilitation Center of Lisbon for veterans living there
• Properly dispose of worn U.S. lags given to the Legion
• Help run Bingo nights at the Legion Hall the first and third Wednesday of each month beginning at 6:30 p.m. that evening.
Mollenhauer said sometimes just finding four guys available to help present the colors for a football game can be a slight challenge.
“We have members where their grandsons play in Mount Vernon,” Mollenhauer said. “If Mount Vernon’s home, that means I’m hoping the others don’t have conflicts.”
Mollenhauer has been part of the Legion himself for 10 years, but he travels a lot for his job, so isn’t available for some of the activities as well.
He notes that there are volunteers in the community that help on some of the larger projects, like the flags in the cemetery, which he appreciates that support.
But for some of the other smaller activities, that’s where having members is important.
“I’d hate to see things going away if we have people willing to step up and help out for some of these tasks locally,” Mollenhauer said.
If people are interested in learning more about the opportunities, Mollenhauer said that the meeting the second Sunday of every month at 6 p.m. is a great way to find out more. You can also contact him at 319-329-8830.