Today we’d like to introduce you to William (Bill) Granger.
Hi William (Bill), so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I find it wonderous how each step in life seems to prepare us in some way for the next. I retired from active duty in the U.S. Air Force in 2016 after a 21-year career as an Air Force Bandsman – travelling across the United States and around the globe (5 continents) sharing how our nation’s Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Airmen and Guardians serve to make our nation and our world a better place. Those communication experiences landed me in the Triangle after service, which now get stretched everyday as Commander at Lowe’s Grove American Legion Post 416. While not as far reaching as when in uniform, the message is just as impactful at the community level. In fact, our mission statement of “Veterans Strengthening Our Community” gets put to the test all the time. We identified a few points of interest a couple of years ago that were lacking in our immediate area and have been steadily working to meet those needs since then.
First, we witnessed our veteran community in our area growing smaller every year as the overall number of military servicemembers continue to shrink since the 1970s. One way Post 416 sought to embrace a larger audience was to grow the Legion family through our American Legion Auxiliary and Sons of The American Legion. By standing up and growing these parts of the Legion family anyone who has or had a family member in the U.S. military can join to work side-by-side with our veterans supporting local youth and advocating for veterans and active-duty military personnel and families. While members of our American Legion Family are individually unique, collectively we are a mighty member powerhouse of caring advocates dedicated to service.
Second, we felt a need for increased scouting opportunities to help build character and positive traits in our community’s youth. In 2021 we sponsored Cub Scout Pack 495 which currently has over 50 youth in the program, and last year we added Girl Scout Troop 1462 and Daisy Troop 1518 so young ladies can discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges—or make their first best friends. We are excited to continue these initial steps for the youth in our area as we empower America through community spirit.
Finally, for anyone not from the Triangle area, there is a huge demand for organized youth sports. With the 101-year history of American Legion baseball, Post 416 chose to focus our efforts expanding the opportunities for youth baseball in our community first. In fact, we have sponsored a post baseball team for the past 4 years running that serves players between ages 13-19. In addition, we have partnered with the South Durham Little League who serves over 1,000 boys and girls aged 4-16 years old through baseball and softball opportunities annually. However, our community has hit a hard ceiling on the number of kids we can help as we have exhausted use of all available area fields during each season.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Our largest challenge right now is the demand for baseball fields has simply outpaced supply in our area. Post 416 and our sports partners are limited in how many youth we can offer playing opportunities to, and we are turning away some of them simply because we cannot host enough venues for them all. Post 416 has identified about 7 acres of land on our property where we could build 2 or 3 fields and provide a potential home to the South Durham Little League and our American Legion Baseball program. The enormous task that lies ahead is securing government approvals and more importantly the funding required for such an endeavor. While we are still in the very early stages of defining all our needs and the path we must take, the way forward will be challenging but necessary for the continued growth (and health) of our community.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I love every opportunity I get to brag on my amazing team at Post 416. As the only veterans’ service organization located in Research Triangle Park, we relentlessly champion veterans and military members, support military families, and work hard to meet the unique needs of the South Durham County/Northwest Wake County, North Carolina area. Together we’ve found new ways to honor and remember our veterans’ legacy of service and sacrifice while advocating for our community. In fact, 2026 marks the 75th anniversary of the founding our post, so we certainly have something to celebrate this year!
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I found my way into a school band program in the 4th grade and haven’t looked back since. I fondly remember a college professor telling us one day we’d meet our future spouse through music, and he was right! 38 years later, I wouldn’t trade my journey with Kathy (my spouse) for anything. I also owe a lot to my colleagues and family who helped me become who I am. While those who knew me in my earlier years would not call me outgoing, a career on the musical stage removes any inhibitions one may have regarding public communication. I believe the phrase, “throwing gasoline on a flame,” describes what happens when I’m presented the opportunity of an open microphone. While I’ve spent the better part of 40 years behind a tuba, I have recently adopted bagpipes as my new hobby for honoring veterans and public safety families in the area, and that fuels my service to my community.
Pricing:
- Join The American Legion @ Post 416 – $40/year
- Join the American Legion Auxiliary @ Post 416 – $32/year
- Join Sons of The Am. Legion @ Post 416 – $30/year
Contact Info:
- Website: https://al416nc.wixsite.com/al416nc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ALpost416NC
