Giving Rye: Meet Rye American Legion Post 128
Giving Rye is a feature series highlighting non-profits and community groups in and around the City of Rye. Today meet Fred de Barros of Rye American Legion Post 128.
Your Name: Fred de Barros
Organization: Rye American Legion Post 128
Your role: Commander
MyRye.com: Tell us your organization’s mission.
de Barros: The American Legion was chartered and incorporated by Congress in March 1919, shortly after the end of World War I as a patriotic veterans organization devoted to mutual helpfulness. It is the nation’s largest wartime veteran’s service organization, committed to mentoring youth and sponsorship of wholesome programs in our communities, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting strong national security, and continued devotion to our fellow service members and veterans.
How long have you operated in Rye?
de Barros: Rye Post 128 was chartered on July 16, 1919, and was the first veteran’s organization in the City of Rye. Among the original charter members were such pillars of the Rye Community, such as Stuyvesant Wainwright, Martin F. Kirby, and J. Mayhew Wainwright. Since that time, Post 128 has provided uninterrupted volunteer services to our community and its veterans.
What programming or work in Rye is the organization best known for?
de Barros:
- Patriotic Events: We organize Memorial Day and Veterans Day activities in Rye. For Memorial Day we organize the parade and ceremony. For Veterans Day we organize the ceremony. At both events local city/county leadership speaks, and we always try to find a compelling keynote speaker aligned to the day.
- Support of local youth activities: We support Scouts Troop 2, Rye Recreations Basketball uniforms and multiple scholarships to Rye Summer Camp.
- Local Scholarships: We present the Dempsey Scholarship to a graduating Rye High School senior; and we present the Kingery Scholarship for the best Memorial Day essay to a Rye High School student. Additionally, we sponsor RHS students who desire to attend Boys State – an American Legion run leadership program.
- Support of Veterans: We offer financial support to augment the activities of veterans at Montrose VA Hospital.
Looking forward to 2025, what will be your top initiatives?
de Barros:
- Support of veterans in conjunction with Veterans Administration hospital programs.
- Organize patriotic activities such as Memorial Day and Veterans Day.
- Support of local youth programs and scholarships.
Tell us about the population you serve and how they can get involved with your programming and services.
de Barros: Eligible veterans and citizens can join our organization to help with patriotic activities and support of local youth activities.
Are you a 501(c)(3) non-profit with tax exempt status?
de Barros: No – but our application is in progress.
Looking back across 2024, what were your organization’s top achievements?
de Barros:
- New Veterans Monuments at City Hall. We worked closely with City of Rye to correct past omissions in current monuments and to add a new monument to honor Cold War, Iraq, Afghanistan and Global War on Terror veterans.
- Memorial Day – we organized a parade and ceremony on this patriotic day to remember our local war dead.
- We donated over $25,000 in total to local youth organizations, RHS scholarships and to veterans’ activities.
How can local residents support your organization?
de Barros: Eligible Rye citizens can join the American Legion, the American Legion Auxiliary or the Sons of the American Legion. Eligibility requirements can be found on our website.
What local Rye residents and area businesses have been the longest, steadiest supporters of your organization?
de Barros:
- Legionnaire Terry McCartney organizes a Memorial Day Hundy Golf Tournament at Rye Golf Club. This is a large source of our funds through golfers who participate in that event.
- The Kingery Family sponsors our Memorial Day essay contest.
Tell us about you:
Is the role full time or part time? Paid or volunteer?
de Barros: I am an unpaid volunteer with the American Legion. At my day job, you might see me at the Rye YMCA!
How would your friends and family describe you in one word?
de Barros: Engaging
Where did you grow up?
de Barros: I grew up locally on Park Drive South. My four brothers and I were fortunate to have woods behind our house to play in the summers and a golf course across the street to sleigh ride in the winter.
What is your favorite unimportant thing about you?
de Barros: I don’t have a favorite color. I prefer Apple juice to orange juice. I watched the entire movie “Oppenheimer” in one sitting.
If the next five years is a chapter in your life, what is this chapter about?
de Barros: The title of the chapter would be “Gratitude” . I would write about all the blessings in my life: A loving wife, family and friends, good health, meaningful work, and life in a wonderful community. I would show my gratitude by continuing to be of service to all to the best of my ability.
What would you do if you were not afraid?
de Barros: I would skydive.
Thanks Fred!
Learn more:
Donate. Mail donations to Rye American Legion Post 128, PO Box 128, Rye, NY 10580.
I believe that the American Legion posts are all 501c19 organizations. 501c19 organizations have the same tax status as 501c3 organizations. 501c19 status is exclusive to veteran organizations such as American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), etc.