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Post 42 - Marion
Marion Correctional Institution
Location:
Marion Correctional Institute
940 Marion-Williamsport Road
Marion, OH 43301
Marion County
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Post Officers:
Commander - Wesley Moore
1st Vice - David Aldridge
2nd Vice - Jason Setty
3rd Vice - Jimmie Sams
Adjutant - Wesley Moore
Finance Officer - Marcus Bloomfield
Public Relations Officer -Roy Pompa
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Contact Information:
Rebecca Bauer - Staff Advisor
740-255-5241
rebecca.bauer@odrc.state.oh.us
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District:
District 12
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Legislative
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Ohio House District 86
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Ohio Senate District 26
Bill Reineke (R)
Meets the 2nd Saturday of the month at 1300 hours.
AMVETS Post 42 is located inside the Marion Correctional Institution. Post 42 has several programs that are beneficial to incarcerated veterans as well as AMVETS AADA. One of those programs is sewing therapy in which blankets made out of donated yarn are given to the two Ohio Veterans Homes in Sandusky and Georgetown. The sewing therapy group also makes teddy bears that are donated to local hospitals and police departments for distribution to children in need. They also have a program titled Facing Yourself. In Facing Yourself the men involved take a look inside themselves to deal with the issues that led them to be incarcerated. And they have veteran resource fairs annually where outside agencies and veteran groups can come in and share resources.
Incarcerated Veterans Still Serving
While most veterans don their battle gear and prepare to board an aircraft destination unknown, in the small town of Marion Oh., there stands a group of incarcerated veterans that continue to serve not only in their community, but also in other communities throughout the state of Ohio from behind bars. This group of incarcerated veterans stands out in crowds due to its history and dedication to its members and surrounding communities.
American Veterans (AMVETS) Post #42 is the only incarcerated post in the State of Ohio and is located within the confines of the Marion Correctional Institution (MCI). The post got its start in 1974 when a group of incarcerated men submitted a requisition to the warden of the institution and to the AMVETS State Department of Ohio to form a post. Their motivation was that they felt a need to continue to serve. AMVETS and MCI approved their application to form AMVETS Post #42. Since its existence, the post has been constantly striving to exceed excellence.
MCI’s new acting warden, Mr. Don Melton, a veteran himself, supports the organization by allowing fundraisers to help offset the cost of providing assistance for those in need. The post staff advisors, Michael Laytart and Rebecca Bauer provide the organization assistance by completing forms and requests which need approved by the prison administration being that security is a must at this location.
Post 42 donated funds in August 2020 to Stockhands Horses for Healing a equine therapy farm in Delaware County who serves veterans and children with disabilities. The funds will go towards the purchase of hay to feed the horses. As a thank you, Post 42's flag will now hang in the riding barn.
Post #42 post donates 51 percent of fundraisers sales to the charity as required as a 501(C)3 but it doesn't stop there. They also make teddy bears by hand Children’s Hospital and crochet stump covers, blankets and socks for Ohio’s veterans’ homes. They also help their own community out at MCI by providing holiday gift bags to indigent offenders and hygiene bags for incoming veterans.
For all the 2,300 plus offenders that are assigned to MCI that are 70 years or older, they provide a birthday celebration that includes the purchase ice cream and cake serving it to the attending offenders.
AMVETS Post #42 and MCI have reached out to the Stockhand Horses For Healing, a non-profit organization that provides horses as a means of therapy for veterans suffering from PTSD and other issues and started an equestrian therapy program to help deal with those issues. Other charity donations go to Toys For Tots, Wags For Warriors, Pets For Vets and Save A Warrior just to name a few.
So, if you have ever wondered if positive things happen in prison, just ask the men of AMVETS Post #42 and they will tell you that they know that positive things happen........because they make them happen.
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-AMVETS Post 42 advisors
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