Fall in!

EPHRATA - American Legion Art Semro Post 28 Commander Kim Thomas hopes to bring awareness about the American Legion and increase their membership, particularly with younger generations, during her time as Post Commander.

“My goal is to increase the membership of younger vets or vets with families so that we can keep it going and provide them (with) the resources that we can offer,” said Thomas. “(We) provide a sense of community, a place to go, a place for kids to learn about the American Legion and history of the vets and build that connection.”

Thomas said this has been a challenge because she feels there is a misconception that the Legion is a place for just older vets to tell their war stories. She explained that the Legion is way more than that, and a lot of the time is not spent talking about their service.

“I think a big thing is people just don't don't really understand what's there and what it could be,” Thomas said.

She explained that the legion is about community for any veteran with honorable service and spending time together and making connections. There are a number of things they do to support this such as game nights, meals and holiday events.

“I think the biggest thing is outreach, getting veterans to know who we are and that we're here to support them,” said Thomas.

She said she also wants to foster a positive environment that focuses on the future of the Legion and not past issues.

“My mission, besides let's get people in here and encourage people to join, is also to move in positivity,” Thomas said.

Thomas attended high school in Ephrata before going off to college at Eastern Washington University. At the end of her third year in school, she joined the Air Force and served from 1986 to 1990 in what is now called Security Forces. Shortly after joining, she was stationed in England with her young family before moving back to Ephrata upon her contract completion to raise their kids. She has continued her law enforcement career working for the Washington Department of Corrections for the last 30 years.

Thomas said she has been with the Legion for the past six to seven years and was instilled as Post Commander in July. Her term ends at the end of June if she does not re-run for commander in their legion elections this next spring.

Thomas said she wants to be a commander who collaborates with Legionnaires and their families to create the type of space they want to see at the Legion. She wants to help facilitate change and create resolutions to problems but in a way where everyone feels heard and still respects the legacy that veterans have created over the years at the post.

“I think people think that role (of Post Commander) is you're just in charge of everything, and really, I don't see it that way,” Thomas said.

The American Legion Art Semro Post 28 is located at 276 8th Ave NW in Ephrata.

Rebecca Pettingill may be reached at rpettingill@columbiabasinherald.com.