Alva Review-Courier -

The American Legion from the top to the grass roots level is dedicated to community and to nation. We are a non-partisan non-profit organization that serves no single individual but our entire community, supporting and maintaining growth and Americanism.

'...to inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state and nation.'

Always interested in building a better nation, the founders of the American Legion believed that such building must start first with the individual in his own community. So they made it one of the cardinal principles of the American Legion to inculcate the sense of personal obligation to the community state and nation into the individual citizen. That means educating the citizen – young, old and future – in his and her responsibility to be acting in making the hometown a better place in which to live.

Americanism is the gist of the American ideals of freedom, justice, individual rights and unfenced-in opportunities. It embraces all the freedoms we cherish and all the rights that are guaranteed to us. It is the very opposite of hatred, bigotry and intolerance. Americanism is the creed that has blazed the world-wide trail for justice, fair play, decency, belief in God, private enterprise, universal education, and progress in all human endeavors. It puts a premium on the virtues of loyalty, patriotism, hard work and thrift.

Hatch-Vincent leadership throughout the years have worked tirelessly through very difficult times in our community and country. Our Auxiliary and Legion members have held strong for years, managing to keep our charter and building when we were on the verge of losing it. Without their dedication our community would have suffered the loss of one of its oldest organizations.

This week is a first of many community activities and initiatives that Hatch-Vincent will partake in and orchestrate.

The Freedom Chamber of Commerce has asked the Legion for assistance running the gate at the rodeo this year and the Legion has accepted this invitation with pride, as well as the invitation to post the colors for the Old Cowhand Reunion for The Cimarron Cowboys and Cowgirls Association. These are opportunities for AL Post #63 to gain community exposure and to work together as a team.

The dances at the Legion have been a tradition for years. The Freedom Saloon has picked up that responsibility so we do not lose one of our town's traditions and yearly attractions. Hatch-Vincent is actively supporting their efforts while we have been unable to host the dances ourselves. Our goal is to regain the ability to have the dance at our facility as well as conduct other activities and events, not leaving any one organization or business by the wayside but utilizing and uplifting every avenue the community has to offer to bring back solidarity to our beautiful place in northwestern Oklahoma.

The structure of Hatch-Vincent Post #63 is greatly utilized by the community for a variety of events. However, as an organization it has been somewhat a silent portion of Freedom, Oklahoma, for far too long and we believe it is time to awaken, assisting the community in growth and forward movement.

Our school is dwindling and our community's population has been at odds for far too long. It is time to find a common ground and come together as Freedomites and Americans. Post #63 is a sleeping giant in Freedom and it's time to come out of hibernation and take a stronger role in helping develop initiatives and community growth.