Here Are Some Of Our Favorite Projects We Support
* American Legion Boys State - This program gives high school juniors a chance to run a fictional local government from Governor to dog catcher. All positions are elected and all aspects of government are explored, from finance to local laws.
Click here for more info http://ctboysstate.tripod.com/.
* American Legion Oratorical Contest - This Program began in 1941 to give young men & women an opportunity to study the U.S. Constitution, display leadership traits and learn public speaking. These are some of the brightest future leaders of our great country!
Go here to see more: http://www.legion.org/oratorical/about
* Flag Ettiquette and the U.S. Flage Code - The American Legion is one of our Nation's staunchest defenders of the American Flag. We lead the fight for a law protecting the Flag from desecration as well as teach men & women of all ages proper respect and treatment of the Flag. Amoung the ways Post 86 does this, is to offer sessions of Flag Ettiquette to various groups such as schools and Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts. Contact the Post via e-mail to learn more about how we can help you learn the proper ettiquette of respecting our National Colors.
* Kick For Nick Project - This wonderful project was born in late 2006 when Post 86 member Ken Dartley reached out to Bill and Shalini Madaras of Wilton, CT. On September 3, 2006 their oldest son Nicholas made the supreme sacrifice for us all when his vehicle was hit by an IED. The Post has supported this project almost from the beginning and continues today.
Read more about this story about a young man, his dream and his family's determination to make that dream a reality: http://www.kickfornick.org/
* Female Soldiers, Forgotten Heroes - This project is an offshoot of The Homes For The Brave { http://www.homesforthebrave.org }, a non-profit organization to help homeless female Veterans return to a productive and self sustaining life. Sometime in the Fall of 2011 the Nicholas A. Madaras Home will open in Bridgeport, CT, the first such home dedicated to aid Female Veterans. See more information here : http://homesforthebrave.org/programs/female-soldiers-forgotten-heroes/ and here: http://www.kickfornick.org/FemaleSoldiersForgottenHeroes
* Connecticut Fallen Heroes Foundation - The brainstorming by Mike Mastroni in 2004 was designed to honor a young woman who was killed in an auto accident while returning to her duty station after taking leave at home. This grew into a Foundation that today honors all the young men and women who have been killed overseas over the previous year. See this year's event and join in honoring these wonderful and brave men and women: http://www.ctfallenheroes.org/
* Boy/Girl Scouts of Wilton - We offer Flag etiquette classes as well as joint participation for our annual Flag Retirement Ceremony and placing grave Flags at each of Wilton's cemeteries on the graves of veterans.
* Wilton Schools - We offer the Captain Samuel Polis Scholarship to a Wilton High School senior who attends a trade school or pursues advanced education for a trade. We also team with Middlebrook and Wilton High to award the Post 86 American Legion School Award to a young man and young woman who show initiative in helping others, courage, honor, leadership, patriotism, loyalty, perseverance, honesty and trustworthiness. Post 86 also sponsors high school Juniors attending the Department Boys and/or Girls State, and Oratorical contest.