Smoking rift leads to new American Legion

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Hard feelings brought on by a crackdown on smoking at the Sahuarita American Legion post have in part helped lead to the formation of a new post in Green Valley.

American Legion Madera Post No. 131 recently received its charter and will open at 249 W. Esperanza Blvd., in the former location of Oasis Restaurant.

Many of the people who spearheaded the new post come from American Legion Post No. 66 in Sahuarita, where smoking has become an issue.

Ray Greeley, who helped lead the effort for the new post, takes responsibility for “pushing through” the no smoking rule at Post No. 66, where he used to be a member.

“That’s when I made a whole bunch of enemies up there,” said Greeley, who quit smoking 55 years ago. “There is no smoking anywhere up there in the building itself and many people didn’t like me for that.”

Greeley was also instrumental in backing the no smoking rule at the Green Valley Elks Lodge No. 2592, where he is also a member.

Greeley had been a member of Post No. 66, chartered in 1965, from 1995 until last year, and served as commander four times.

“Some people think the new post was created because of spite, but actually it’s because the population of Pima and Santa Cruz counties is increasing considerably and some veterans might want to join a post that is closer for them, especially for those who live in Santa Cruz County,” Greeley said. “Of course, there will be no smoking at this post and people joining know that, too.”

Former Post No. 66 commander Bear Coffman, who was elected to that position in 2008 and served only three months before stepping down, echoed Greeley’s reasons for forming a new post in Green Valley.

“I feel the members weren’t necessarily being listened to and majority rules is what I was taught,” says Coffman, who is 1st vice commander at Post No. 131. “There were some cliques formed there that were dividing the membership, some over smoking and some over other things, but I just feel the members weren’t being listened to. It was making life miserable.”

Dave Palmer, 1st vice commander at Post No. 66 in Sahuarita, acknowledged there are “ill feelings” among the membership over the smoking issue.

“The military passed out cigarettes at one time, so many vets smoke and will always smoke,” he said. “Smoking has been a major problem, but we’ll have a covered patio to accommodate those who wish to smoke, possibly in the next 10 days or so.”

Palmer acknowledged “bitter feelings,” but said Post No. 66 is stable with 1,519 veterans. “Add the Sons of the American Legion and the Auxiliary and we have more than 2,000 members,” he said. “We’ll survive even if we do lose some to the new Legion.”

Coffman said Madera Post No. 131 has more than 90 members and is growing.

“We are opening membership to the Sons of the American Legion and the Auxiliary, too,” he adds.

American Legion membership is open to anybody who is “on active duty today, serving honorably, anywhere in the world, or have served honorably during any eligible war eras,” according to the organization.

Greeley said the new post would be run by volunteers, which is a change from the Sahuarita post, which has several paid staff.

Greeley says volunteers have been working for months painting, rebuilding the bar and renovating the old restaurant before it opens as an official Legion post.

“We’ve had to do a lot of work. We bought all new kitchen equipment, furniture, office supplies and it’s all being paid for by donations and generous new members,” Greeley said. “I estimate it’s costing $15,000 to $20,000, so far.”

The 4,500-square-foot building is being leased from Partners Management, which oversees many of the adjacent mall stores in the Green Valley Village.

Greeley said Post No. 131 will open when the liquor license comes through.

“We need a source of income and the bar helps,” he said.

Until then, volunteers are getting the new post ready; prospective members can visit and sign up. Current members of the armed forces get free membership for a year.

“Some of the posts are getting away from the American Legion mission and our new post means to get back to our roots,” Greeley said. “We are supposed to be involved in the community and helping vets and we are going to get back to that mission.”

Those interested in joining can visit Madera Post No. 131 from 8 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday. The telephone number is 520-398-6245.

rford@gvnews.com