From the 21 July 1983 edition of the Northwest Alabamian:
Double Springs - A large number of veterans met in the courthouse of Double Springs Wednesday , Nov. 6, 1946 for the purpose of organizing a local American Legion Post.
Legionnaires Homer Scott of Jasper and Paul Porter of Florence attended and helped for form the organization.
Tolbert Farris was elected adjutant of the new post by the 25 charter members. Soon the [sic] roles swelled to 109 members and in 1976 had grown to 165.
The permanent charter for Garrison-Bonds Post 184 was obtained in 1966. The post home was built in 1947 and 1948. The building was paid for through various fund-raising events, including selling chances on two cars, sponsoring several programs and several members loaned the Post money, interest-free, for two or three years. The balance for the initial purchase was borrowed from a bank.
In 1964, a $5,000 addition was added to the side of the original building for a concession stand, ticket sales area and rest rooms, thus allowing for expansion of the auditorium to permit more room for skating and for the Saturday night dances.
In 1966, central heating and air conditioning was added at an additional cost of $5,000.
The Saturday night round and square dances have been a main source of income for the Post in order to carry out their many worthwhile programs. The dance has been held for more than 30 years and is well known over a wide area with people attending from 100 miles away or more.
The Garrison-Bonds Post have become widely known in the Double Springs area for their willingness to help out in various community projects.
These include Boy Scout and Cub Scout programs, Little League, Christmas gifts for the needy, gifts for veterans in hospitals at Christmas, sponsoring boys to attend Boys' State each summer, helping out with college tuition for worthy students, helping with purchase of ambulance for use by the Double Springs Rescue Team and buying school softball uniforms.
The Post has also helped out with various other school projects, including paying $12,000 for concrete bleachers to be constructed at the new high school football stadium, and $5,000 for tennis courts on the high school campus, $1,100 for new band uniforms and $1,000 for softball fields on the high school campus.
They also help out with many other local worthwhile projects.
In conjunction with the Post Auxiliary, the group hosts two free suppers each year for Legion members and their families and also hosts some district suppers and serves grilled steaks and barbeque.
This post is represented at most district meetings , mid-winter conferences and state conventions. Two members of this post, Elmo Robinson, Sr. and Hoyett Wolfe have served as district commanders and on the department executive committee. Comrade Edd Snoddy also served as district Judge Advocate.
Two members from this post served as Winston County Commander. They are Eldon Curtis and Hoyett Wolfe.
The Post officials continue to welcome, as they did when organizing in 1946, all veterans of the area to join their organization to make a strong and active Legion organization.
Staff Writer, The Northwest Alabamian
Two of Double Springs finest citizens have received an honor reserved in life for just a few.
Hoyett Wolfe and Donald Patton were recently pleasantly surprised to find out that their fellow American Legion Post 184 had voted to rename their post home, located off Highway 278 West in Double Springs, after them.
"We decided to rename the building the Wolfe-Patton Legion Hall during a meeting back in the spring, but didn't have the plaque presentation until recently." Joe Morrow, adjutant for the post, said.
Both in their eighties now, Wolfe and Patton vividly recall their service during WWII. Wolfe joined the Navy at the age of 17 on May 3, 1943.
"We pulled into the Panama Canal Zone the same day as the Normandy invasion." Wolfe remembered, adding that he saw plenty of action in the Pacific Theater during the war, later serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War.
Patton joked that it was his bosses at the time that got him involved in WWII.
"My bosses turned me into the draft board". Patton said with a laugh. He joined the Army Air Corps, and served in Panama for 36 months.
"We met in the court house." Wolfe remembered.
The first individual post home for the American Legion was located behind where C&H Building Supply is now located. Seeing a need for room to grow, Wolfe and Patton began organizing fund raisers to provide Veterans and the Ladies Auxiliary with a nice place to meet.
"When I came here in 1968, they were already holding Saturday night square dances." Morrow said, adding that bingo has also been a major fund raiser for the American Legion through the years.
Determined to have all the money in hand before breaking ground on the new building. Wolfe and Patton scrimped and saved for years, not wanting the post to go into any kind of debt. When tragedy hit the community, however, they were more than willing to let the money go to help others.
When Winston County High School burned, they took money they were saving for the new building and paid for bleachers for the visitors side of the stadium," Morrow said.
With money raised yet again, the WWII Vets purchased 16 acres of land in the post's current location for $16,000, then began work on the building.
"They practically built it themselves." Post Commander Benny McGee said.
The new, spacious post home was completed in 1991, with a grand monument to the town's war dead added later.
"I asked the good Lord to let me live long enough to see this building built and a monument for the ones that didn't make it back, and I've seen it." Wolfe said.
Both Wolfe and Patton are very grateful for their wives - Doris Wolfe and Novie Patton - who have worked for decades to make the Double Springs AmericanLegion what it is today.
"They have been very instrumental in forming this. We couldn't work without our Auxiliary," Wolfe said.
The American Legion is still very active in the Double Springs community, sponsoring the Boy Scouts and helping those in need. They also help their fellow Veterans, with the Ladies Auxiliary sending boxes to the Veteran's Home each year. Although Wolfe and Patton are now passing the torch on to the next generation, their hard work will never be forgotten.
"I think these two gentlemen need to be recognized for what their generation has done for us," Morrow said.
"They need this recognition while they are still here," McGee added.
Legionnaires Homer Scott of Jasper and Paul Porter of Florence attended and helped for form the organization.
Tolbert Farris was elected adjutant of the new post by the 25 charter members. Soon the [sic] roles swelled to 109 members and in 1976 had grown to 165.
The permanent charter for Garrison-Bonds Post 184 was obtained in 1966. The post home was built in 1947 and 1948. The building was paid for through various fund-raising events, including selling chances on two cars, sponsoring several programs and several members loaned the Post money, interest-free, for two or three years. The balance for the initial purchase was borrowed from a bank.
In 1964, a $5,000 addition was added to the side of the original building for a concession stand, ticket sales area and rest rooms, thus allowing for expansion of the auditorium to permit more room for skating and for the Saturday night dances.
In 1966, central heating and air conditioning was added at an additional cost of $5,000.
The Saturday night round and square dances have been a main source of income for the Post in order to carry out their many worthwhile programs. The dance has been held for more than 30 years and is well known over a wide area with people attending from 100 miles away or more.
The Garrison-Bonds Post have become widely known in the Double Springs area for their willingness to help out in various community projects.
These include Boy Scout and Cub Scout programs, Little League, Christmas gifts for the needy, gifts for veterans in hospitals at Christmas, sponsoring boys to attend Boys' State each summer, helping out with college tuition for worthy students, helping with purchase of ambulance for use by the Double Springs Rescue Team and buying school softball uniforms.
The Post has also helped out with various other school projects, including paying $12,000 for concrete bleachers to be constructed at the new high school football stadium, and $5,000 for tennis courts on the high school campus, $1,100 for new band uniforms and $1,000 for softball fields on the high school campus.
They also help out with many other local worthwhile projects.
In conjunction with the Post Auxiliary, the group hosts two free suppers each year for Legion members and their families and also hosts some district suppers and serves grilled steaks and barbeque.
This post is represented at most district meetings , mid-winter conferences and state conventions. Two members of this post, Elmo Robinson, Sr. and Hoyett Wolfe have served as district commanders and on the department executive committee. Comrade Edd Snoddy also served as district Judge Advocate.
Two members from this post served as Winston County Commander. They are Eldon Curtis and Hoyett Wolfe.
The Post officials continue to welcome, as they did when organizing in 1946, all veterans of the area to join their organization to make a strong and active Legion organization.
Legion Hall building renamed to honor long-time members
By Shirley Lane-HessStaff Writer, The Northwest Alabamian
Two of Double Springs finest citizens have received an honor reserved in life for just a few.
Hoyett Wolfe and Donald Patton were recently pleasantly surprised to find out that their fellow American Legion Post 184 had voted to rename their post home, located off Highway 278 West in Double Springs, after them.
"We decided to rename the building the Wolfe-Patton Legion Hall during a meeting back in the spring, but didn't have the plaque presentation until recently." Joe Morrow, adjutant for the post, said.
Both in their eighties now, Wolfe and Patton vividly recall their service during WWII. Wolfe joined the Navy at the age of 17 on May 3, 1943.
"We pulled into the Panama Canal Zone the same day as the Normandy invasion." Wolfe remembered, adding that he saw plenty of action in the Pacific Theater during the war, later serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War.
Patton joked that it was his bosses at the time that got him involved in WWII.
"My bosses turned me into the draft board". Patton said with a laugh. He joined the Army Air Corps, and served in Panama for 36 months.
"We met in the court house." Wolfe remembered.
The first individual post home for the American Legion was located behind where C&H Building Supply is now located. Seeing a need for room to grow, Wolfe and Patton began organizing fund raisers to provide Veterans and the Ladies Auxiliary with a nice place to meet.
"When I came here in 1968, they were already holding Saturday night square dances." Morrow said, adding that bingo has also been a major fund raiser for the American Legion through the years.
Determined to have all the money in hand before breaking ground on the new building. Wolfe and Patton scrimped and saved for years, not wanting the post to go into any kind of debt. When tragedy hit the community, however, they were more than willing to let the money go to help others.
When Winston County High School burned, they took money they were saving for the new building and paid for bleachers for the visitors side of the stadium," Morrow said.
With money raised yet again, the WWII Vets purchased 16 acres of land in the post's current location for $16,000, then began work on the building.
"They practically built it themselves." Post Commander Benny McGee said.
The new, spacious post home was completed in 1991, with a grand monument to the town's war dead added later.
"I asked the good Lord to let me live long enough to see this building built and a monument for the ones that didn't make it back, and I've seen it." Wolfe said.
Both Wolfe and Patton are very grateful for their wives - Doris Wolfe and Novie Patton - who have worked for decades to make the Double Springs AmericanLegion what it is today.
"They have been very instrumental in forming this. We couldn't work without our Auxiliary," Wolfe said.
The American Legion is still very active in the Double Springs community, sponsoring the Boy Scouts and helping those in need. They also help their fellow Veterans, with the Ladies Auxiliary sending boxes to the Veteran's Home each year. Although Wolfe and Patton are now passing the torch on to the next generation, their hard work will never be forgotten.
"I think these two gentlemen need to be recognized for what their generation has done for us," Morrow said.
"They need this recognition while they are still here," McGee added.
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| Longtime American Legion Post 184 members Hoyett Wolfe and Donald Patton were honored that their fellow Legion members decided to name the post home in Double Springs after them. Pictured at right with the plaque that will be placed in the building are, from l-r: Benny McGee, Post 184 Commander, Doris Wolfe, Ladies Auxiliary member, Hoyett Wolfe, Sam Weaver, Post 184 member, Donald Patton, Novie Patton, Ladies Auxiliary member, and Joe Morrow, Post 184 adjutant. |