Pictured is Neville Messinger, local veteran and member of the Herman Kent American Legion Post 777, which he said is in need of more volunteers. OBSERVER Photo by Sara Holthouse

The need for volunteers in many local and national organizations may seem like a familiar story to many by now, but one local veteran who is a member of the Herman Kent American Legion Post No. 777 is stressing the fact that volunteer work is important to do, especially for the elderly or retired generation.

Neville Messinger has served Post 777 in some capacity as an officer or general member for 51 years. In that time, he has spent much of it volunteering with the legion in one way or another.

“Veterans organizations like this are not just a place where veterans come to hang out and get smashed,” Messinger said. “We do a lot of volunteer work, in fact there is a volunteer event happening this weekend, I think, with the Souper Bowl event for UPMC, where all proceeds are going to the hospital.”

Messinger said the legion does volunteer events such as the Souper Bowl locally, but also does volunteer work nationally. He gave an example of during the pandemic having the legion open for veterans to get their COVID shots for four weekends, adding that altogether about 1,500 veterans came to get their shots, including some all the way from Olean.

Messinger has also been involved in volunteering to help people in Canada. He told a story about a veteran from the United States and member of the VA who married someone from Canada. When the veteran’s Canadian wife needed time off, Messinger said the Canadian government could not help, and he was contacted by a friend of his in Ontario. Messinger worked with some other local people and they were able to arrange for the VA in the United States to send personal aid to the husband so the wife could do what she needed to do.

Messinger has also helped people in Illinois as a part of doing volunteer work with the legion. More locally, Herman Kent Post 777 has done volunteer work such as the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign, a first responders recognition event, and renting out the hall for benefits at no charge with the meals being cooked by Brothers By Choice.

“It’s hard to get volunteers to even run for office these days,” Messinger said. “I’m surprised we don’t get more. We had the Red Kettle campaign, and even for that the Salvation Army didn’t have enough volunteers. There’s a lot of retirees that could help. Some of them sit around and do nothing, but every organization needs help. American Legions, hospitals, churches, can all use volunteers.”

For himself personally, Messinger has been volunteering since the age of 12 with the Boy Scouts, which he remains a liason of in connection with the American Legion. Anything that needs done at Herman Kent Post 777, Messinger said he will help with, including cooking and washing dishes. Service wise, Messinger enlisted in 1968, even though he was exempt, choosing to serve anyway. Sometimes Messinger said he will help with taking care of his road, and once helped the Air Cadets in Canada, who then gave him a medal two years ago for his help.

The medal is the P/O Wilfred L Renner Medal, named for a pilot in World War II who after his plane was shot down chose to help volunteer in France and helped disrupt supplies to the German army that were being sent in preparation for an invasion. On returning home he then volunteered with the Air Cadets in Cambridge, who named the medal after him. Messinger said to this day he is the only one in the United States to have received this medal.

Messinger volunteers around 30 hours a week, and has served as county treasurer for 11 years, receiving a plaque for Legionnaire of the Year three times because of his work.

The Herman Kent American Legion Post 777 hosts multiple events throughout the week, including BlueGrass bands Wednesday nights, Friday night prime rib dinners, Friday and Saturday night fish fries, and meals are served by the Women’s Auxiliary on Tuesday nights.

A lot of veterans do not belong to an American Legion, Messinger said, and encouraged those who are not to join. To join Post 777 all that is needed is stopping by the legion — 26 Jackson Avenue — to get an application, and a veteran only needs to have served one day in active duty from 1941 to the present, not necessarily during war time.

“I wish more people would volunteer to help, but fewer and fewer do,” Messinger said. “Everybody should volunteer and give back to their communities. It doesn’t take much to give an hour or two of your time. It doesn’t take much to help.”