American Legion's 'Be the One' suicide prevention campaign
Jan 14, 2025
LITTLE CHUTE, Wis. (WFRV) - Only Local 5 News was there when American Legion Post 258 greeted American Legion State Commander Jim Johnson, who attended their regular meeting, including supper at the nearby Village Limits Supper Club.
"Right now, we have to be the one," Johnson told Local 5's Hometown Heroes correspondent Michele McCormack. "Be the one for someone else and reduce the stigma of mental illness as well as prevent veteran suicide."
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Post 258 has the distinction of forming the same year as the American Legion national organization in the immediate aftermath of World War I. It bears the name of Jacob Coppus, the first Little Chute soldier to die in World War I.
"We are the second-largest American Legion post in the Fox River Valley, with more than 200 members, which we are very fortunate to have," said Chaplain and former four-time Commander Marty Huss.
This post also includes an auxiliary for spouses and family members of Legionnaires and Sons of the American Legion groups.
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The Wisconsin American Legion Mid-Winter Conference starts Thursday at the Hilton Paper Valley in Appleton.
The American Legion offers several online training programs to help people learn how to interact with veterans who may be in crisis or considering suicide.