Dundalk’s American Legion running out of money and people

First published Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024 in the Dundalk Eagle.

Some see the American Legion, an organization for veterans, as nothing more than a place for old people to get together, drink and tell war stories.

“That’s the furthest thing from us,” said Mark Phoebus, the bar and lounge manager at Dundalk’s American Legion branch.

Its actual purpose, he said, is to support veterans and help the community — the $2 beers at the bar just help pay the bills and get people in the door. The branch has made space for unionized port workers to meet after the Key Bridge’s collapse, food banks to set up shop, blood drives, Halloween celebrations, three local high schools’ proms in 2020, the nerve center for Santa Claus’ helpers and much more, all for “dirt cheap,” Phoebus said.

But the perception of being an old folks’ home has made it hard to find new members to join the branch.

“Our membership is dying off,” Phoebus said.

Just this year, at least six members died. And even fewer people are supporting the branch because the Key Bridge collapse, doubling or even tripling commute times.

“All the people that used to come over here for like a fish fry on a Friday night and all, they don’t come over anymore,” he said. “We’ve lost a lot of our support.”

Nevertheless, the members of the post support each other. Commander Ann Unger experienced it firsthand. When her husband, Michael Charles Unger Sr., died last November, she said, people dropped food off at her door, people came to check on her, the Legion’s department commander reached out and the region commander even contacted her.

“It’s family,” she said. “We’re not just members, we’re family. We look out for each other.”

It costs thousands to run the post every month. The gas and electric bill alone can come up to $3000. Add to that insurance costs, buying alcohol for the bar, paying for a liquor board license, paying the exterminator, paying taxes, paying the alarm company and paying the internet bill. Those costs combined with the post struggling to break even when it hosts events are spelling disaster for the branch.

“I’m trying everything I can to keep this place open,” Phoebus said. “It ain’t going down on my watch.”

But the money to run the post needs to come from somewhere. Despite Congress deciding who can and can’t be a member of the American Legion, the federal government doesn’t support the Legion. So the post is trying to lean on the community it’s supported for so many years. The Legion sent out a letter to the community last month soliciting donations.

“We are seeking your help because we do not want to see our facility close because we have served out Dundalk and surrounding communities for 70+ years,” the letter read.

The American Legion is built off four pillars — veterans affairs and rehabilitation, national security, Americanism and children and youth. Dundalk’s branch takes those pillars seriously.

“This isn’t a thing that we get paid for. We do it voluntarily because we love our country. We love our community. And we’re given something back,” said Unger, the post’s commander.