Aaron Thum, left, 1st vice commander of the South Gate Post 335 gives blood during an event at his post on Thursday, May 27, 2021. He is joined by Patricia Jackson Kelley, commander of Jackie Robinson Post 252.
Some American Legion posts have a hard time finding their purpose within the communities they live and operate in.
That’s not the case for South Gate Post 335.
Thursday’s blood drive was just one of many ways this post serves its community. Normally conducted quarterly at the South Gate post, this was the first blood drive here that Jackie Robinson Post 252 has collaborated on.
“Aaron and I got our heads together and decided we’d do a blood drive together,” said Patricia Jackson Kelley, commander of Jackie Robinson Post 252 in Los Angeles. “This is an important program of The American Legion. We never know who is going to need blood.”
She referenced her collaboration with Aaron Thum, newly-elected 1st vice commander of the South Gate post and a program manager for Volunteers of America Los Angeles.
“This post is a gold mine for veterans who need assistance,” Kelley said.
Thum has been with VOALA for seven years and within the past 4 and a half years has focused on veterans employment. He said he gets a real sense of fulfillment that comes with helping the hapless.
“We see a lot of improvement in a veteran’s life when they get a job. That’s why I do this work,” Thum said.
South Gate Post 335: A Veterans Services Hub
Since November 2019, Post 335 has hosted a number of services for veterans and their families, including homeless veteran job referral, suicide awareness training, veteran peer support training, security guard training, OSHA certifications and more.
The post was recently made a hub for the Veterans Peer Access Network and it often collaborates with other veteran services groups like Veterans Stand Together.
Next event: South Gate Post 335 is holding a Salute to Freedom on July 2 with Sarge’s Resource Center.
Author: Jared Morgan
Jared is the senior editor and web team lead for the Department of California and chair of its Media & Communications Commission. He became a member of the American Legion in 2014 when he joined Palisades Post 283 to find stories about veterans issues for a local newspaper while working as its news editor. He was soon brought in as 283's assistant adjutant and historian to help produce the post's award-winning community newspaper. Since then, Jared has used his media skills to help further the efforts of The American Legion in its advocacy of veterans and their families. Jared has also worked for several years to help revitalize the 100-year-old Santa Monica Post 123, formerly as its adjutant and as a member of its executive board, before transferring back to Post 283.
