In 1980, A few veterans in the city of Fruitland Park, Florida started Post 219 with a temporary charter granted by National Headquarters. We held our first meeting at the Hilltop Lounge. Post 219 first real home was estabished at the "chicken Coop" a pole barn with a dirt floor on Eve & Joe Cornett's property. The Cornetts were kind enough to let us use the building free of charge. The Post paid for the extensive improvements to the building, and for five years we called it home. During that time, the first Commander was John Gella. A few years later, Richard D. Knott was Commander of the Post and during that year he passed away and it was decided to name the Post in his memory. On March 20, 1985 we received our full carter with 64 members. That same year we purchased the old Fruitland Park Post Office and quickly remodeled it, adding a lounge, social quarters and a kitchen. In 2008 we purchased a piece of property 2 blocks from our Post on 102 Dixie Ave. Construction on our new Post home is done and moved into to it on July 4th, 2011. With the help from all our Post members and Legion family we will be successful. The Post recenty voted to change the New Post Home to John Gella Memorial Post. He was our first Commander, and was a force in forming the First Post Home.

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