This happened this week at my home squadron in Belleville, New Jersey and it speaks directly to how amazing our organization is.

This story’s basis is in the words that we as Sons of the American Legion (SAL) recite at each and every meeting. It lies towards the end of the Preamble to the Constitution of all of our respective organizations … the words that we exist “to consecrate and sanctify our friendship, by our devotion to mutual helpfulness…”

That mutual helpfulness is evident in much of what we do. It is shown in every moment when we support the four pillars of the organization. But it is most important in how we look out for each other.

As Americans. As fellow Sons. As friends. As brothers.

This week, toward the end of a monthly SAL general meeting, a member addressed the fourteen members present. He began speaking about family.

He lost his mother a few months ago, whose health see-sawed over the previous months and years. She was a dear friend of the Squadron and the Post, who we all miss very much. Both he and his children shared a house with her, which has been stuck in probate since her passing. As anyone who has been through this is aware, it seems like an open-ended shoveling out of money just to keep the estate afloat until everything is settled.

This Son is a man filled with pride who never asks for help, even when he's going through perhaps the hardest time of his life.

He asked for a substantial loan from the squadron, offering his truck as collateral and planning to repay it once the house affair was settled and transferred to his name.

And now is the part that speaks to the best of who we are as Sons of the American Legion.

After no more than 15 seconds, members at the meeting started taking bills out of their wallets. Not twenties, but hundreds. $100 from this member, $200 from these members, $300 from another member.

After thirty seconds, $2,080 was on the table. All without anyone being asked to give from their own pocket. Stunning.

Not one of the 14 members asked for his money back. It was given in the spirit of brothers helping out a brother in need; Sons just doing a good thing for a buddy, and in so doing living up to every square inch of what this organization stands for. Living up to our devotion to mutual helpfulness.

I am proud to stand amongst men of this caliber. I am honored to be part of an organization filled with people of such integrity and of such strength of character.