An event attendee walks in to the American Legion on Bluff Street in Marquette.

MARQUETTE — “All for the Legion hey, hey,” Veteran and American Legion member Chuck Weinrick said as he dumped pounds of potatoes, carrots and whitefish from Thill’s Fish house into a large pot of boiling water.

American Legion Post 44 held the American Legion’s 100 Year Celebration with an open house and fish boil Friday night at the Legion on Bluff Street in Marquette. For $10, the public was invited to enjoy a fish boil dinner and music from a DJ. Jim Wallis, Post 44 commander, wanted the event to give the public a chance to know the organization better.

“We had an open house tonight to hopefully teach more of the public what the Legion does,” said Wallis.

The American Legion was founded March 15, 1919, in Paris, France, out of concern for the welfare of soldiers in the United States after World War I. Since then, the Legion has been active in lobbying on behalf of veterans and service members as well as becoming a community-based service organization. Legion members regularly volunteer with the D.J. Jacobetti Home for Veterans and sponsor Marquette area hockey and baseball teams.

“Our motto is veterans serving veterans,” Wallis said.

Weinrick, who has been in charge of many fish boils for the Rotary Club, prepared enough food for 300 people expected for Friday night’s dinner.

“The Legion has probably done as much or more for the veterans as any organization out there,” Weinrick said. “I am just proud to be a member and it’s just a great group of people.”

Corey Kelly can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 243. Her email address is ckelly@miningjournal.net.