If you’ve driven down Fourth Street in Sayre lately, you’ve probably noticed the banner hanging out front of a familiar downtown building. That banner marks a new chapter for American Legion Post 146, which has moved into its first permanent home in years. For the veterans who make up the post, the new headquarters is more than a building — it’s a chance to expand their programs, welcome the community, and carry on a legacy that began more than a century ago.
For years, Post 146 met at the Sayre Senior Citizens Center. Post Commander Elmo May made sure to note the support they received there. “Karen Sanders did a great job with us. The building was always open to us. She was fantastic.” Still, he explained, sharing space limited what the Legion could do. “If you’re just using another space, you have to haul everything in and haul everything out every day. You can’t set up.”
Now, with their own building on Fourth Street, the American Legion Post 146 is entering a new era. The space includes multiple meeting areas, a kitchen, and plenty of room for community events and Legion programs.
Post 146 traces its roots back to 1924, making it 101 years old this year. Originally chartered as the William T. Pfeiffer Post, it was later renamed in honor of Glenn Russell Martin before taking on its current name, the Marvin J. Anderson Post 146. “It’s been 101 years,” said Post Adjutant Shirley Knight, who also serves as the State Senior Vice Commander for the Department of Oklahoma American Legion. “We’re proud to carry that history forward.”
“The American Legion is about four pillars,” Elmo said. “Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation, Children and Youth, National Security, and Americanism.” Those principles are reflected in local projects ranging from scholarships for high school seniors to teaching flag etiquette in classrooms and organizing Memorial Day and Veterans Day observances.
Knight emphasized the importance of those programs for young people. “We’re proud of the scholarships we give and the students we send to Boys State and Girls State. For some kids, that $500 or $1,000 really is the difference in whether they can go.”
Membership in the Legion is open to any veteran who has served at least one day of active duty, with dues set at $40 a year. At present, Post 146 counts around 60 members and is actively recruiting more. “We’d like to have everybody come to meetings,” Elmo said. “But even if you can’t, paying dues helps us keep things moving.”
With their own space at last, the post is planning a full slate of community events. Ideas include an allyou- can-eat pancake breakfast, spaghetti dinners, and community bingo nights in the renovated chap- el space. A baked potato social will likely be the first event once renovations are complete. “It’s not about making money,” Elmo said. “It’s about opening doors and getting the community coming in.”
That sense of openness extends to their meetings. “Even if we had a meeting tonight, if someone walked in here and wasn’t a member, they could sit down and listen,” Knight said. “The meetings are open. Come see what we’re doing.”
For Knight, one of the most memorable moments of her Legion service came while speaking at a Veterans Day school program. “One Veterans Day, I spoke about women in the military,” she recalled. “You could’ve heard a pin drop. Teachers told me afterward it sparked conversations in several classes. Girls came up asking, ‘How can I do what you did?’ That will stay with me for the rest of my life.”
For Elmo, it was playing Santa Claus at the VA Center in Clinton. “We took our two little granddaughters with us,” he said. “To watch those veterans’ reactions to the girls and to Santa Claus — that’s something I’ll never forget.”
The new building, visible to anyone driving down Fourth Street, will soon be marked by an electronic sign announcing upcoming events. Elmo believes it will help the post take its place as a gathering point in Sayre. “We just want to be seen,” he said. “That’s why we wanted this building on this street. Human nature — if people see the lights on, they’ll want to come in.”
Beyond Legion events, the building is also being made available for the community. Families will be able to rent space for reunions, birthday parties, and showers. The renovated chapel area will host bingo and dinners, but it can also hold private gatherings. For a town often searching for places to gather, Post 146 intends to become a destination.
Looking ahead, members hope to introduce Coffee with a Vet mornings, where anyone can stop in for conversation and fellowship. Holiday plans include decorating the building, hosting Santa for neighborhood kids, and eventually transforming the spacious interior into a haunted house at Halloween. All of it is designed to make the Legion a hub not just for veterans, but for the community as a whole.
Elmo said it best: “We just want to be seen.” And the invitation is clear. If you’re a veteran in the Sayre area, the door is open to join Post 146. And even if you’re not a member, the next time you see cars parked out front, you’re welcome to come in and see what’s happening. As Knight put it, “We’re here not only for our veterans, but for the community.”
