Explore La Crosse is excited to announce that The American Legion, Department of Wisconsin, will hosts its annual Midwinter Conference in
La Crosse, Wisconsin, January 18-21, 2024.
The conference kicks off Thursday at 3:00 PM with members of the Wisconsin American Legion family bringing awareness to Veteran Suicide. The awareness is in the form of a 2.2 for the 22 Be The One Walk, which encompasses The American Legion’s "Be The One" program geared at reducing Veteran suicide through positive engagement. The walk recognizes the 22 Veterans who succumb to suicide each and every day. Twenty-two participants will each carry a 1 lb. stone in honor of the 22 we lose every day. Some of the stones have been personalized with the names of those lost to suicide, we will never forget them. The walkers will be led by The American Legion, Department of Wisconsin Commander Karl Stuvengen carrying the American flag and The American Legion, Department of Wisconsin Historian Michelle Adams carrying the "Be The One" flag. The 2.2 for the 22 Be The One walk begins and ends at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center. Immediately following the walk will be a short ceremony. In the case of extreme weather, an alternate route may be substituted. The No. 1 issue facing the veteran community is suicide. It is estimated that between 17 and 22 veterans take their lives each day. The American Legion encourages Veterans through the Be the One program to:
- Talk with others about how we are feeling.
- Ask for help when we know we need it.
- Know there are millions of people ready to help us and know that we are not alone in our struggles.
- Most importantly we need to remember our family, our American Legion Family and our Friends care about us.
The walk will wind past American Legion Post 52 in La Crosse where more Legion Family Members will be Freezin’ for a Reason; camping out in the Post parking lot for two nights in the cold to raise money and awareness for At-Risk Veterans. Members of the community can participate through donations, raffles, and auctions happening at the Post during the event.
Friday morning will start the business meetings of The American Legion, Department of Wisconsin at the La Crosse Center. Saturday is a full day of learning and service projects supporting Wisconsin’s Veterans. The weekend is full of meetings, learning, networking, celebrations, and camaraderie.
The American Legion was established in 1919 by wartime veterans determined to strengthen the nation through programs and services for men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces, veterans, children and patriotic values. The organization has fulfilled its mission over the last century through such programs and accomplishments as American Legion Boys State and Nation, American Legion Baseball and Softball, the GI Bill, benefits for veterans exposed to toxic contaminants, youth oratorical contests, Scholarship programs and more.
The Wisconsin American Legion is the state’s largest veterans service organization with over 47,000 members and 500 posts in communities across Wisconsin serving active-duty military, veterans, their families, and their communities since 1919. For more information on the Legion’s programs and membership, please visit https://wilegion.org/.
