MILLSBORO, DE — In the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, over 75 volunteers, including veterans, local businesses, and organizations, came together at the American Legion Auxillary Post 28 in Millsboro to participate in a food drive. The event aimed to give back and serve the community, embodying the values promoted by Dr. King.
Volunteers packed, carried, and stored over 200 grocery bags filled with donated food. These bags are set to be delivered to the Wilmington VA Medical Center, where they will be distributed to veterans facing food insecurity.
Beth McGinn, Vice President of American Legion 28, expressed that when they learned the VA needed assistance, they saw it as a perfect opportunity to give back in the spirit of Dr. King.
"One of his quotes is - ‘What are we doing for others?’ So we kind of carry that for our mission at the American Legion Auxiliary, to do what we can do for others – especially our veterans," said McGinn.
Delaware State Representative Jeff Hilovsky, a veteran himself, said he wasn't surprised to see the turnout on a day many consider a day off,
"This is one of the most active legion posts in the country. We have a high concentration of veterans in Sussex County, and everyone rolls up their sleeves, and not because they want glory or to be heard, but because it’s the right thing to do," said Hilovsky.
National President for the American Legion, Lisa Williamson, attended the event all the way from Alaska. She emphasized that legions across the country are coming together on this day with the goal of saving veteran lives. She spoke on the importance of the American Legion's mission to prevent veteran deaths, and specifically, suicides.
"Our concern is to be the one to save one each and every day – those ones add up," said Williamson.
