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Ready to help veterans

The Spectator - 1/4/2017

SOMERSET — Now that the membership of the Warren S. Hathaway Post 228 of the American Legion has been built up and its building on Roosevelt Avenue has been renovated during the past few years, members say they want to concentrate on addressing the needs of military veterans in the community.

David Kokoszka, the adjutant for the Somerset American Legion Post, said they want to reach out to veterans in need in the community to help them with health, medical, hardship, transportation and wellness issues.

"We're going to do this with monies raised through various venues, donations from businesses and other places, fundraisers," Kokoszka said. "Where we can help directly, we will, wherever assistance is needed."

Steve Souza, the finance officer for the post, said the post may be able to help veterans with costs, such as for groceries or heating bills.

"A lot of people are embarrassed to say they have needs," Souza said as he sat in the Legion building. "We have some guys here who we've paid their dues."

Kokoszka said there are a lot of veterans in the community who could use some help. He said spouses of veterans also can contact the Somerset American Legion post to sit down with members in a meeting to see how the post could help them. The number for the post is (508)679-2380. Souza said the post wants to help veterans get all of the benefits they are entitled to.

"We're trying to get back to the basics and the basics is helping veterans," Souza said. "That's what we intend to do."

Souza said the Legion has contacts with the Veterans Administration Center. He said Massachusetts is fortunate to have veterans' service officers in every town. Somerset's veterans' service officer is Heather Cheetham. Souza said the Legion wants to augment what the veterans' service officer does. Kokoszka said if veterans do not know where to go to get wheelchairs or walkers, the Legion post could help them.

"We can buy a wheelchair, if someone needs one," Somerset American Legion Post Senior Vice Commander Glen Doup said.

The membership of the Somerset American Legion post has increased from 33 members to 205 members during the last few years. Work has been done on the roof and entrance of the building. The basement of the Legion post has been remodeled and the post now has a full liquor license to use the bar for fundraisers and other events when anyone in the community wants to lease the hall. But Kokoszka said the Legion does not want to just have parties and fundraisers in the building.

"We're now in a better position to help serve our local veterans,": Souza said.

Kokoszka said he had retired from the military, but did not know where the Somerset Legion post was until he came to a Polish Night fundraiser there and was amazed at the building.

"There are so many people who don't know that we're here and what we do," Kokoszka said.

Kokoszka said the Somerset post has dedicated members who also include Commander Pasquale Bianchi, Junior Vice Commander Jack Fitzgerald, Service Officer Bill Bowen, Chaplain Paul Henault and Historian Tom Williams. Kokoszka said the local post is unique in that it has dedicated members who work there on a consistent basis. Bianchi noted that the Somerset American Legion Post donated the first ambulance to the town.

"We're just trying to get people aware that we're here and we're here to help veterans," Bianchi said.