American Legion commander asks Pittsboro board for help reconnecting Post 426 with community

Judy Pearson, commander of American Legion Post 426, told the Pittsboro Parks Board she is working to revitalize the post after the previous commander suffered a stroke and asked for help reconnecting the organization with the community.

“I am Judy Pearson. I’m the commander of the American Legion Post, 426 in Pittsboro,” Pearson said during public comment. She described recent and planned activities the post supports, including a Fourth-grade flag program, scholarships through the Americanism and government program for middle-school students, an oratorical contest that awarded $25,000 to a high-school participant in a past year, Boys and Girls State sponsorships and youth baseball and junior shooting programs.

Pearson said the post has conducted outreach—sending more than 400 letters to local households—and has participated in local events such as a Blue Star dedication and the farmers market. She said the post does not currently have a riders group and that membership has dwindled; she asked board members and residents for ideas to attract younger veterans and family members and to increase the post’s visibility.

Board members offered practical help. The chair and others invited Pearson to attend park events and offered to help assemble a table rack she said is in her garage. “We want to be a part of the community,” Pearson said, noting the post’s long local history and programs she hopes to restart or expand.

Next steps: board members and staff offered to connect Pearson with event opportunities (farmers market, Fourth of July) and to assist with equipment and publicity.