American Legion Commander Alexander Plumb was named Legionnaire of the Year. He credits his nomination for the award to his work in renovating the post.

"I worked for the Town for 32 years as a supervisor of maintenance. I guess that's how I got the Legionnaire of the Year Award. I like to putter around. I can sit and watch TV for a while and then I have to find something to do," he said.

Mr. Plumb is finishing work on the new home for the Quentin Roosevelt American Legion Post #4 and putting it in shipshape. The new post is located at 120 South Street, and hearing him refer to it as "The Post" demonstrates that the Legionnaires have left what residents considered "The Legion Hall" and are settled into their new location. The building had housed the clothing store Gold Diggers; was bought by the law firm of Marino, Bernstein & LaMarca, and used as their office until they moved to Townsend Square and rented it to the Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce. When the chamber, too, moved to Townsend Square the building was empty until the Legionnaires decided it was the perfect spot for them.

The move to 120 South Street wasn't without its glitches. For some time the American Legion Hall was in danger of the wrecking ball as the Hallock site was considered prime for an assisted living facility. After Mr. Hallock received the special use permit allowing the construction of the facility, he sold the land to Holiday Associates who then turned over the site to Island Properties.

For some time the American Legion considered its options. They had vacated the Legion Hall and relocated at 120 South Street and were beginning their renovation of the building.

Mr. Plumb said they put on a new roof right away and they have been replacing doors and making the building handicap accessible. He restored all the woodwork in front of the building.

The next thing he is facing is the problem of their service plaques that are still set into the Legion Hall. When the Legion bought 120 South Street, they took the service plaques out of the Legion Hall. Island Properties asked the Legion to return the plaques because of the cold weather and the holes that were left in the building façade. The Legion returned the plaques.

Commander Plumb is eager to complete the work on the building. He said, "Now I want the plaques. I want them in the window area so we can be recognized as an American Legion building. We want to do all the brickwork at once." The four plaques represent the Army, Navy, Marines and the Legion. Only a Legion post is allowed to show the legion emblem. They are waiting for warmer weather, at which time Island Properties will be removing the service plaques from the building and relocating them at the Legion post.

Mr. Plumb served in the Korean War in 1952. "I was drafted but I didn't want to be on the ground, I wanted to be on the water. I signed up for four years of active duty and had to sign up for four years in the reserves."

"I was born and raised in Locust Valley and moved to Oyster Bay in '44 when I married Ann Lizza."

The Plumbs have a daughter Alison, married with two children. Their son died at age 32 in 1998.

Mr. Plumb enjoys golf, sports and fishing and spending time with his two grandsons. "I keep the grand children for a while and when they get too noisey, I call and say 'take them home.' That's the fun of being a grandparent.. it's not a full time job," he quipped.

"I'm really active in the Legion. If you don't get people to take over it will go downhill. Someone has to step forward and keep it moving," and he seems to have the energy needed for the job.

His day starts at 7 a.m.: "I go to breakfast, to church and then to the Legion.

Remembering his 32 years with the town, he said, "I worked with Clint Smith on the harbor when they had boats to be cleaned up and some buoys that needed repairs. I had a welding shop with the town where we repaired a lot of stuff. Just prior to leaving I and my crew renovated the upper floors at the DPW building on Miller Place in Syosset." he said. That experience is what made his work at the Legion Post a perfect fit. When they repaired the roof they discovered there was quite a bit of water damage. While the legionnaires are doing some of the work themselves, they hired a certified plumber, (Varricchio) and electrician (Whaley).

The post supports Boy Scout Troop 299 and recently Mr. Plumb has been working on a separate closet for them to store their things. He said they are also planning on sending an outstanding high school junior to Boy's State. "We were talking about doing it and Reggie (Butt) went to the convention in New York and will check on the details."

Mr. Plumb said, "The building process is taking up a lot of our funds. We want to do a fundraiser and are planning to create a journal to help us get on our feet again." It will feature pictures taken by Legionnaire Don Mahanna, last year's Legionnaire of the Year and the club historian.

"There's a lot to do. You cross one bridge at a time. Can't let the wagon get ahead of the horses," he said.