22-05-2025
From hub to hardship: Chicago-area VFW posts work to preserve veterans' spaces
The Brief
Many VFW posts across Chicagoland are struggling with declining membership.
Some posts have merged or sold buildings to stay afloat.
Leaders are finding success by connecting veterans with services and support.
CHICAGO - Memorial Day is a time to stop and pay homage to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
In a FOX 32 special report, we take a look at VFW posts that for generations have been gathering places for vets who made it home and the challenges to stay open.
The backstory
The sign on the outside now says Moose Lodge 660, but one building in the northwest suburbs was originally the hall for VFW Post 1337.
Built by a group of Mount Prospect veterans back in the 1940s, it was a town hot spot.
"Especially for Mount Prospect in the mid-1950s, 60s, there was some places to hang out but it was still a somewhat rural area where you may not have as much going on. You may not have as many places to go to just hang out, relax at the end of the week," said Emily Dattilo, director of the Mount Prospect Historical Society.
In 1982, the VFW sold the building to the Moose Lodge because they couldn't afford to keep it. One of the reasons is their membership had started to wane. It's a problem other VFW and American Legion posts were also having as World War II veterans were getting older.
"Our post was almost going to close I think. It was lacking membership when I took over. We only had like 60 or 70 people in it. After it goes so low, it kind of disbands," said Les Durov.
Durov has been the post commander for the last seven years. Keeping up membership is one of the hardest tasks for him and his staff.
"It's the hardest thing to do. To get veterans into the post. They don't think they're worthy of it. They don't think they deserve it," Durov said.
But Durov and his team found a way to increase their membership numbers by simply talking to veterans about what's important to them.
"Once you ask them about their benefits and tell them some of the benefits they can get and how they can get them, they love you. They're willing to join right away," Durov said. "Some of these guys are messed up pretty good. They really are. So we try to help each veteran as much as we can."
This year, VFW Post 1337 turned 100 years old and is 134 members strong.
"It's getting harder and harder," Durov said. "This year, I don't know if I'm going to make my membership but I'm trying."
Durov says they've just about tapped out Mount Prospect when it comes to finding new members.
"If we go west, Niles has a post. If we go north, Northbrook has a post. There's just a lot of posts in a ten–twelve mile area. We don't take people from another post. It's not proper," Durov said.
Dig deeper
The VFW in Lisle found itself dealing with a similar membership problem this year too.
"Lisle is a very mature, very developed community. So there's not a lot of new people moving into the area," said Brett Nila. "So there aren't a lot of new veterans coming in to draw upon or approach."
Nila is a trustee and a past commander for Lisle's VFW post. He says they are down to just 38 members, compared to several hundred when their membership hit its peak in the 1980s.
"Right now, we have made the decision to merge with the Naperville post," Nila said.
He says merging is one way to help preserve his post's legacy.
"Particularly, we like to try to merge more than close. That way, it continues to keep veterans and give them what we call a home post," said Eric Morales, membership director of the Illinois VFW.
What's next
Catch part two of this special report about VFW success stories on Thursday.
The Source
FOX 32's Nate Rodgers reported on this story.
