Homemade soup and baked goods can be found at the Eynon American Legion Auxiliary Unit’s 624 Fall Festival at the post home, 436 Main St., Eynon, on Saturday at 4 p.m. to help raise money for local veterans.
The Eynon American Legion Post 624 recently reestablished its auxiliary unit and is kicking off its first big event with the Fall Festival.
Terra Rumford, president of the Eynon American Legion Auxiliary Unit 624, has been part of the American Legion Auxiliary for nine years. She recently transferred to the Eynon auxiliary after previously being a member of the auxiliary in Carbondale. She was voted president of the Eynon auxiliary nine months ago.
“It is an honor,” Terra Rumford said about serving on the auxiliary. “It is rewarding to see where we have gone within the last couple of months.”
“I come from a big family of service,” she said. Terra Rumford’s grandfather James Poff served in the Navy. Her uncle Theodore “Teddy” Poff, her husband Thomas Rumford and father-in-law Robert “Bob” Rumford served in the Army.
The auxiliary was created in 1946 to help the members of the legion and serve the community, according to Terra Rumford. The auxiliary was dormant the last few years due to a lack of members. However, since the auxiliary was restarted this year, the Eynon American Legion Auxiliary Unit 624 now has 21 members, she said.
The goal for the auxiliary is to give back to the community and do more events to “let the community know we are here,” said Terra Rumford.
The auxiliary is here to “help the community and the veterans,” she said. “We are their backbone.”
“If any veteran has problems, we are here to help,” Terra Rumford said. The legion currently has about 40 regular members.
Earlier this year, the auxiliary held a Poppy Drive fundraiser that raised over $600. The auxiliary has an ongoing collection drive for veterans at the St. Francis Commons in Scranton and the Gino J. Merli Veterans Center in Scranton. They are looking to collect home essentials, including pillows, bedsheets and shower curtains for St. Francis Commons and socks, blankets and toiletries for the Gino J. Merli Veterans Center.
Terra Rumford said she “knows a lot of veterans are grateful for what St. Francis offers.”
The first big event put on by the reformed auxiliary will be the Fall Festival on Saturday at 4 p.m. for ages 21-plus. The Fall Festival will include a soup cookoff, bake sale, basket raffles, 50/50 raffle and a candy corn counting jar guess game.
Gina Stombaugh, treasurer of the Eynon American Legion Auxiliary Unit 624, said she is getting all her recipes ready to make soup and items for the bake sale for the Fall Festival. She has been a member of the auxiliary since 2015 and her father, Carl Adamski, served in the Navy.
“We do a lot of good,” said Stombaugh. “We want to take care of our veterans.”
Terra Rumford said she hopes the event gets people in the community to “come out and see what we are all about” at the American Legion.
The soup contest is free to enter and anyone can join the soup cookoff, including members and nonmembers, according to Terra Rumford. She asks that all soups be entered at 3 p.m. on the day of the Fall Festival before the contest starts.
Attendees can pay $5 to taste all the soups and then vote for their favorite.
Gift cards will be given to the winner of the soup contest and closest guess to the candy corn jar.
The auxiliary also has an ongoing jello shot fundraiser for $1 a shot.
Any veteran can join the legion and anyone can join the auxiliary who has a spouse, parent or grandparent who served in the military. Those who did not serve or have a family member who served can join the legion as a social member, according to Terra Rumford.
The Eynon American Legion Auxiliary Unit 624 is looking for new members who want to help serve the community with veteran-oriented activities.
For those thinking about joining the auxiliary, Terra Rumford said, “Do it. It is fun and exciting. You get to help people and that always makes you feel good. And you get to meet new people.”
The Eynon American Legion Auxiliary Unit 624 meets once a month. The next meeting will take place on Nov. 9 at 10 a.m.
The Eynon American Legion Post 624 is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
For more information about the Eynon American Legion Auxiliary Unit 624 or to donate any baked goods or raffle baskets to the Fall Festival, call the Eynon American Legion Post at 570-876-5595.
If you go
What: Eynon American Legion Auxiliary Unit 624’s Fall Festival
When: Saturday, 4 p.m.
Where: Eynon American Legion Post 624, 436 Main St., Eynon
Details: For ages 21-plus. Includes a soup cookoff, bake sale and basket raffles.
Info: Call the Eynon American Legion Post at 570-876-5595.