06/11/2026
The Stone Soup of Hardin Post 113
On Thursday, July 2nd, something special is going to happen at Hardin Post 113.
It will begin with a stone.
Not just any stone, but a Stone Soup Stone.
The stone’s journey starts many miles from Elizabethtown. During one of their many RV adventures, John and Angie Saunders discover a unique stone and learn the old legend of Stone Soup. According to the story, a simple stone can create a wonderful meal—but only when people come together and each contribute something of their own.
The lesson stays with them.
Years later, they decide the stone belongs at Hardin Post 113, where service, fellowship, and community are part of everyday life. They present the Stone Soup Stone to outgoing Commander Gary Brewer as a gift, and he becomes its caretaker until the right moment arrives.
That moment will be July 2nd.
Fittingly, it will happen during our Joint Membership Meeting—a gathering of the American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary, Sons of The American Legion, and Legion Riders, all coming together for a common purpose.
On the morning of the Joint Membership Meeting, Gary Brewer will place the Stone Soup Stone into a kettle.
At first, there will be only a stone and water.
Then Josh Wise, serving as the cook for the evening, will look into the kettle and suggest that perhaps the members—our villagers—might be able to provide a few vegetables to improve the soup.
Soon someone will deliver carrots.
Another member will deliver onions.
Someone else will contribute potatoes.
A member of the Auxiliary may offer seasonings.
A Son of The American Legion may bring another ingredient.
A Legion Rider may arrive with something special to add to the kettle.
One by one, members from throughout the Legion Family will add something to the pot.
No single ingredient will make the meal.
No single person will create the soup.
But together, something remarkable will happen, because we all know that it takes a village.
And just like the villagers in the original Stone Soup story, we are asking our Legion Family to help make this meal possible.
Donations for the Stone Soup Dinner will be accepted from June 29 through July 2. Whether you contribute vegetables, seasonings, or soup ingredients, every contribution becomes part of the story.
Every donation, no matter the size, helps transform a simple kettle into a meal that can be shared by all.
As the kettle simmers, conversations will begin. Veterans will share stories. Auxiliary members will exchange ideas. SAL members will talk about upcoming projects. Legion Riders will share tales from the road. Old friendships will be renewed, and new friendships will be formed.
By the end of the evening, the kettle will contain much more than soup.
It will contain the contributions of an entire Legion Family.
That is the true lesson of Stone Soup.
The American Legion, the American Legion Auxiliary, the Sons of The American Legion, and the Legion Riders are much the same. Each organization brings something unique to the table. Each member contributes in their own way. Some volunteer. Some organize events. Some support veterans. Some raise funds. Some simply show up when help is needed.
No one person does everything.
But together, we accomplish extraordinary things.
The Stone Soup Stone serves as a reminder that our greatest strength is not found in any single ingredient. It is found in what happens when we combine our talents, our efforts, and our commitment to Service Not Self.
The Stone Soup Stone will remain at Hardin Post 113 as a symbol of unity, service, and fellowship. Each year it will return to the kettle to remind us that the greatest accomplishments are never the result of one person, but of many people working together.
So on July 2nd, gather around the kettle.
Bring your appetite.
Bring your stories.
Bring your fellowship.
And if you are able, bring an ingredient to help our Stone Soup grow.
Then watch as a simple stone helps remind us of a timeless truth:
When everyone contributes a little, we create something far greater than any of us could create alone.
The stone itself contributes very little.
Yet without it, the villagers never come together.
Perhaps that is the greatest lesson of all.
We look forward to seeing you on July 2nd as we gather around the kettle, share a meal, and celebrate what can happen when a Legion Family comes together.
Welcome to the Stone Soup of Hardin Post 113.
