The William H. Snyder Post 42 American Legion in Moorestown installed its new commander Jack Gardner on July 11, with Gene Clark passing the baton after 26 years.
As Gardner takes over, the post has new ideas it wants to accomplish. With other new officers also installed on July 11, there’s a lot of excitement for the future.
“I always had a good core group to help out, and with the addition of Jack and several of (our) new members, it’s starting to grow again which is great,” Clark reported. “Our mission is to help veterans in need, but to also help them be involved in the community and the different things that we do.”
Founded in 1923, the Legion post has been involved with many community projects over the years, most recently the revitalization of Remembrance Park at the triangular intersection of Second Street and Camden Avenue. It also supports Wreaths Across America, a nonprofit whose volunteers place annual holiday wreaths on graves of fallen veterans.
Twice a year, the post mans a table at the Burlington County Farmers Market so members can educate the public about the organization. It also sponsors Moorestown’s Boy Scout Troop 44 and local high-school delegates who attend the American Legion Jersey Boys State program, and conducts a weekly coffee event for all vets at Panera Bread in Mount Laurel.
“We’re here and if you’re a veteran, we want you,” Gardner noted. “We want you to be a part of this family. It’s like a brotherhood or a fraternity or a sorority, because the people that I’ve met in the three years that I’ve been with the post, the men, I call my brothers, and the women, I call my sisters, we are that close.
“We’re there to support our members.”
Gardner has been with the post for three years in positions that included finance officer and membership chairman, so he’s gotten used to being a leader. Over time, the post has grown and developed a good nucleus, so a decision was recently made to select new officers.
But it always seeks more – including younger members.
“We want to make an organization that’s easy to join, easy to be a member of and enjoy activities in the later years of life, but we also want young people,” Gardner pointed out. “This is not an ‘old man’s’ club. This is for anyone that’s served …
“We’re looking at getting some young blood, and with young blood, comes new ideas.”
The first focus of Moorestown’s American Legion, Gardner explained, is the veterans. Second is the community, and given that the post has a lot of projects lined up, it is ready to kick things off.
Clark has been a member of the American Legion for 33 years. At one time, his father-in-law was also a post commander, so he encouraged Clark to join Post 42. After military service, Gardner was a high-school teacher, and once he retired, he sought an activity that would keep him active for health reasons. He also wanted to continue serving his community and found the post could help him do that.
With 26 years as the post’s leader, Clark inspired Gardner.
“I didn’t have any worries,” Gardner related of running for the commander role, “because I knew that I always had Gene’s support and the support of the members. I have a plan for the year and I’m excited about it and I have a really good team.”
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Jack Gardner (left) took over from Gene Clark as commander of Moorestown’s Post 42 American Legion on July 11.
