Evers tours Camp American Legion, highlights veteran support in budget

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers visited Camp American Legion in Lake Tomahawk Monday. 

The stop at the facility, which on June 14 of this year will observe its 100th year in existence, was the third visit of the day for Evers and Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs secretary James Bond, a Marine Corps veteran.

The purpose of the visit to Camp American Legion and two other veteran service organizations earlier in the day was, according to a press release from Evers’ office, to highlight “his 2025-27 Executive and Capital Budget investments that work to support Wisconsin’s approximately 300,000 veterans.”

The first visit for Evers and Bond Monday was to Wisconsin Hero Outdoors in Delafield, a nonprofit organization that the press release stated “aims to support veterans, first responders and their families by connecting them to the outdoors.”

The second stop for Evers and Bond was at the Wellness Command Post in Oconto Falls which, the press release said, received a $50,000 grant in 2023 as part of $10 million by the Evers administration for “investment in veteran services.”

“The grant helps support efforts to increase access to free substance-use oriented mental health services for veterans in the community to improve mental health outcomes,” the press release stated. 

As they had at Delafield and Oconto Falls, Evers and Bond toured portions of Camp American Legion including cabins sponsored by American Legion posts from around the state that have recently been built or remodeled.

It was also intended to highlight Evers’ proposed $50,000 increase included in his 2025-27 executive budget for Camp American Legion “to support relaxation and rehabilitation services for veterans and their families.”

Following the tour, Evers, who hadn’t been to Camp American Legion before Monday, said “it’s a beautiful place.”

“It’s amazing something so beautiful and important has lasted this long,” he said and he referred to historical scrapbooks he’d looked through as part of his tour of Camp American Legion. “I was just looking over here at the history of this camp and how it has, over the years, continued to make sure veterans are valued and frankly, by doing what they’re doing, helping people stay focused on getting well if they need the help.”

Evers told The Lakeland Times the $50,000 for Camp American Legion in his budget proposal is over and above $25,000 already earmarked for the facility. 

“It’s important,” he said. “Certainly, they’ve done well with very little, frankly, as far as resources from the state. They’re doing well but it’s time for us at the state level to ... veterans issues are, in general, bipartisan and I anticipate the legislature will be in a place to say yes on that.”

While Evers indicated veterans issues are bipartisan at the state level, he said “it  doesn’t seem to be in Washington, D.C. because they’ve made significant cuts to veterans’ programs.”

“People aren’t going to stand for that,” he said. “So, I anticipate cooler heads, or our courts, will make changes.”

Camp American Legion director Jim Klement, who throughout the visit by Evers and Bond acknowledged the work of camp volunteers, said he was pleased Evers made the effort to see the camp “and how we take care of our veterans and how the American Legion takes care of our veterans.”

“It’s also great for him to see the needs that we have for this place so it’s here for our veterans for another 100 years,” he said. 

Brian Jopek may be reached via email at [email protected].