MONTICELLO, Ill. (WCIA) – They volunteer to give other veterans a final salute. For the American Legion Honor Guard in Monticello, things have changed since losing one of their own. Their former commander died several months ago.
Many American Legion posts are already strained. Membership numbers have dwindled over the years, and funds are tight. But Monticello’s new commander, Nick Nichols, said everyone is pitching in to keep their traditions alive.
“Oh gosh, Ed. He was one of a kind. I don’t think he ever knew a stranger,” Vice Commander Mike Randall said.
Edward Hollis Sr. died unexpectedly in December. For the past six years, he was commander of the Monticello Honor Guard – a group known for honoring other veterans at their funerals.
“He would say something up there to the family, and they would all start laughing. We, to this day, don’t know what it was that he was telling them or saying,” Randall said.
He said Hollis had a special quality that made solemn times a little easier. Nichols said taking over the role has been…
“A little hectic because I was not trained to do it.”
Commanders handle difficult phone calls with grieving families, maintaining equipment and more. Nichols said the other members have been helping out, but they all miss Hollis and his devotion to the cause.
“I think I’ve got about eight funerals under my belt so far. It’s never easy to see a passing of a fellow veteran but we have to honor their passing and present the flag to the family, which is an honor for us,” Nichols said.
He said every veteran deserves that final salute – whether they were a member or not.
“Even if they just moved into the community, and we don’t know them, we’ll still honor them and be present at their funeral,” he said.
They try to get at least seven or eight members to attend each funeral they are called to. But sometimes, up to twelve may show up. For a small community, Nichols said he thinks they do pretty well.
“They either volunteered to be in the service or were drafted. But they did their part – in a big way or a small way. And we’d just like to honor that.”
They’ve lost several members over the years, and he said it’s difficult to recruit. If you’re interested in joining, you can contact Nick Nichols at 252-320-6138.