Dear Editor:

As many of you know there is a current pandemic happening throughout the world. We at Hughes-Pittinger Post 26 of The American Legion are doing all we can to help and keep our community safe. Our highest priority is keeping our veterans and community safe.

After speaking with the Park County Public Health Department, I have decided that the best course of action was to close the Post for two weeks. We will continue to monitor the situation and adjust as necessary. We are following all guidelines put out by the CDC, the Wyoming Health Department and the Park County Health Department.

We will still be conducting commodities distribution this Saturday from 9-11 a.m., with added precautions put into place. We will still have the American Legion Riders meeting on the 30th unless something drastic happens between now and then.

We have implemented a program called Buddy Check in which we are calling all of our Vietnam, Korea and World War II veterans to check on them and their families. This is a program started by the American Legion to curb the suicide rates among veterans, but it is now being used to visit with and ensure our older veterans are being checked on during this crisis.

We enourage the community to do the same and just call and check on elderly and high risk individuals, neighbors and friends.

Thank you and be safe,

Russell Stafford

The American Legion Hughes-Pittinger Post 26 commander, Powell