As the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday and Colorado approaches its 150th anniversary of statehood, American Legion Post 119 is inviting the community to commemorate both milestones with a summer fundraising gala and a series of public programs exploring the ideas and events that shaped the nation.

The centerpiece of the celebration will be the Gateway Gala on July 2, a fundraising event at the Legion Hall that organizers hope will become an annual tradition.

“We’re here to promote patriotism and honor our country, but it’s really about connection,” said John Minier, a member of the American Legion Post 119 Foundation. “The more people can come together, the stronger our community becomes.”

The gala, scheduled from 5:30 to 10 p.m., will feature a happy hour, a plated dinner, a brief ceremony, dancing to music by the Kings of Swing Orchestra, and a silent auction.

Tickets are $125 per person or $250 per couple. Seating is limited to about 100 guests, and tickets to go on sale to the public at at the Legion on May 15 after Legion members and sponsors have had an opportunity to reserve seats.

Guests will be able to choose from prime rib, chicken, fish or a vegetarian entrée.

The event is the principal annual fundraiser for the American Legion Post 119 Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that owns and maintains the Legion building and helps support the Legion’s community programs.

Minier said the Foundatio would like to raise $50,000 to provide the Legion with a firm footing. In addition to tickets, sponsorship opprotunities for individuals and businesses are available at nine tiers: Eagle from $250; Freedom from $500; Honor from $1,000; Heritage from $1,500; Flag, from $2,500; Patriot from $3,000; Centennial from $4,000; America from $5,000; and Grand Event from $10,000 and above.

Mark Rashad is also building a guitar with a 250th theme that will be part of the fundraising activities later in July.

Over the past three years, the Legion has undergone extensive renovations to preserve and modernize the building and turn it into a community center where the community can come together both as a community and to support the veterans.

If this is going to be a true community center, the whole community needs to be behind it,” said John Minier.

The American Legion has a long history in Estes Park datying to 1936. Once a private club for veterans, it is now a community center.

In addition to ticket sales, organizers are seeking sponsorships from businesses and individuals. Sponsorship levels begin at $250, with additional levels available for larger contributions.

Leslie Glover, who is helping organize the gala, said the event will celebrate both history and community.

“It’s a chance to dress up, have fun, and support something that matters,” she said.

Glover said the gala will serve as the kickoff to a larger weekend of events tied to the nation’s semiquincentennial and Colorado’s sesquicentennial. Activities at the Legion and around town will continue throughout the Fourth of July holiday.

Hpw did we get here? Series of educational programs planned

The Legion also plans to host educational programs from Memorial Day through Veterans Day under the theme, “How did we get here?”

The series will examine topics such as the American character, the Revolutionary War, religion’s role in the nation’s founding, the Constitution, citizenship and the Vietnam era.

The first three programs are:

  • “The American Character,” presented by retired history teacher Jeff Arnold, with an introduction by Post 119 Commander Dan Scace. This session will explore the origins of America and what makes it unique, and set the stage for our celebrations. Sunday, May 31, 2 to 4 p.m.
  • “The American Revolution,” presented by historian and author Walter R. Borneman. This session explores how and why the early patriots did what they did. Walter R. Borneman is the author of nine books of American military and political history, including 1″812: The War that Forged a Nation,” “MacArthur at War,” and a biography of James K. Polk. His bestseller, “The Admirals: Nimitz, Halsey, Leahy, and King,” won the Samuel Eliot Morison Award for Naval Literature. Monday, June 15, 5 to 7 p.m.
  • “Religion in the Formation of America,” presented by Christine Dempsey, pastor of Presbyterian Community Church of the Rockies. This session will explore how religious values, history, and activism contributed to our nation’s birth and the shaping of our constitution. Dempsey is a second-career pastor who was ordained after a career as a professor of history at the University of Nebraska. As a historian, her work centered around the Protestant Reformation and the history of the church. Monday, June 29, from 5 to 7 p.m.

All presentations will be held at the Legion Hall.

One of the American Legion’s four pillars is Americanism, which the organization defines as a commitment to freedom, justice, individual rights, and opportunity. Minier said the values behind that concept are especially important at a time of political and cultural division.

“There’s nothing wrong with America that can’t be fixed by what’s right about America,” he said.

For Minier, the Legion’s mission extends well beyond supporting veterans.

“Veterans served their communities when they were in uniform, and many of us still see that as our purpose,” he said. “This building is a place where people can come together, regardless of their politics, and enjoy one another.”

Glover said she has experienced that spirit firsthand.

“You get close to people here,” she said. “You may not agree on everything, but you build relationships.”

The Legion Hall itself is part of Estes Park’s history. Built in the early 1930s during the construction of the Olympus Dam, the building originally served as a headquarters for workers involved in the project. Located near the eastern entrance to town, it was once one of the first buildings visitors saw when arriving in Estes Park.

Today, the hall hosts community gatherings, dinners, dance, civic events, and the Listening at the Legion music series.

“We want this to be a place where people connect,” Minier said. “That’s what community is all about.”

Foundation Board Members

Mary Banken, Terri Rizzuti, John and Cindy Minier, Dan and Tami Scace, Cynthia Krumme, Steve Irish, John Tessler, Andrew Virdin, Leslie Glover, Ken Arnold, Thomas Beck, Loren Shriver.

The mission of the Legion is:

“To enhance the well-being of our veterans, their families, our military, and our community by our devotion to mutual helpfullness.” We are committed to: mentoring youth, sponsoring wholesome programs in our community, advocting patriotism and honro, and supporting our fellow service members and veterans.