The Chicopee delegation gives American Legion 452 Commander Adam Anischik (middle) a state earmark for $40,000 for kitchen renovations and other building improvements.
Reminder Publishing photos by Tyler Garnet
CHICOPEE — A $50,000 earmark will bolster the Chicopee American Legion Post 452 and its facilities thanks to state Sen. John Velis’s efforts.
The lawmaker visited the legion on Sept. 23 to tour its facilities and for a discussion of regional veterans services with the Western Massachusetts Veteran Service Officer Association and Veteran Outreach Into Community Engagement.
Velis was joined by American Legion 452 Commander Adam Anischik, Chicopee Director of Veterans’ Services Stephanie Shaw, Massachusetts Office of the Veterans Advocate Regional Liaison Christian DiLuzio, Mayor John Vieau, state Sen. Jake Oliveira, representation from state Sen. Adam Gomez’s office and WMVSOA and VOICE members.
Velis announced the earmark after the tour and discussion, which includes a $40,000 state budget earmark for the Chicopee American Legion for kitchen renovations and other building improvements.
Anischik, who has been manager/commander at Chicopee American Legion 452 for 10 years, said the earmark will help the legion purchase new kitchen equipment and redo the kitchen floor.
The American Legion started providing lunches every day, and Anischik said the place has been getting busier. He added that the new dishwasher, tables and floor will make it easier for volunteers to provide meals and clean dishes.
Anischik said he was blown away to learn about the earmark that Velis and the rest of the Chicopee delegation helped secure.
“Come down, have a beverage, soup and a salad,” Anischik stated. Every Wednesday night from 4-7 p.m., American Legion 452 provides a home-cooked meal for $12-$14, according to Anischik.
Velis also secured a $5,000 state budget earmark for WMVSOA and a $5,000 state budget earmark for VOICE for regional programming and veteran outreach initiatives.
Shaw said she asked about the earmark for both organizations. WMVSOA includes a collaboration of the four Western Massachusetts counties’ municipal veterans services officers who work for their cities.
She said that as a municipal veteran service organization, they can’t fundraise, and when they host events in different communities, it’s difficult to determine an outreach budget.
“We know people from outside that specific community are coming, so we collaborate all the time to make sure people have the best access to their VSO; however, I can’t expect Chicopee’s budget to pay for a game night in South Hadley,” Shaw explained.
She said the organization will market to make sure veterans and their families can connect with their town VSO to learn about programs that could benefit them.
“I’ve known about VSOs for over 16 years; for the last nine years I still at every outreach event find people who don’t even know their town has a veteran’s agent,” Shaw said. “They don’t know that this office exists.”
DiLuzio said VOICE has connected hundreds of veterans with services at the federal, state and local level, and this funding will allow them to accomplish even more.
The funding secured by Velis, the Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs, passed the Senate and House fiscal year budgets and was signed into law.
Velis, a US Army Veteran, spoke of the importance of the American Legion and other organizations in helping support service members.
“The Chicopee American Legion and our Western Massachusetts veterans’ organizations are pillars of support for those who have served our nation. It’s an honor to secure funding that will help improve facilities and expand outreach, ensuring our veterans receive the resources and recognition they deserve,” Velis said. “I am grateful for the dedication of the Legion, WMVSOA and VOICE, and for their commitment to reaching and supporting veterans in our community. Together, we are making a meaningful difference for veterans and their families throughout Chicopee and the region.”
