05/30/2026
“Who owns this place?”
We get that question a lot, and the answer usually surprises people, because it’s part of what makes Post 82 so unique.
When you visit our post, you’ll see our members emptying trash, adjusting the karaoke computer, mopping up spills, serving as bar-back, replacing paper towels, fetching cups, moving tables, and greeting visitors. Others balance the books, coordinate bands, generate donations, meet with community members, serve in our color guard, oversee building rentals, manage memberships, run our meetings, and repair our building. All of our members serve on a volunteer basis and the proceeds from this place generate funds that we can pour back into the community.
Our partner organizations, the Sons of the American Legion and the Legion Auxiliary, serve alongside us.
Serving our community is a healthy way for us to connect to our past military service. And it’s true that serving something bigger than ourselves often feeds our collective souls. But it’s messier than that.
Transitioning out of the military is hard because the civilian world looks so different. The military has its own culture and language and ethos, and stepping out of that can be difficult. So we’re working to connect with our own post-service community and to help others do the same. We’re creating a Third Place, and our civilian community is a vital part of that effort.
The answer is that no one owns this place in the traditional sense. It is maintained by our current slate of members as a nod to the legacy of those who came before us. It was here before we got here and our goal is to build community and leave it better than we found it.
Since 1952, veterans and their family members have sustained this place as a way to connect our servicemembers to their new community, and we’re continuing the work they started.
Share this with someone who comes here so they’ll know how important they are to our mission. And thank you all for being part of it.
