Those entering the doors of Hope Church on the first Tuesday of every month can hear the harmonious camaraderie spilling from the church’s recreation room. The chatter, mixed with the smell of freshly brewed coffee and sweet treats, comes from the gathering of veterans from around North Alabama.
Honoring Veteran Legacies, a local nonprofit, serves elderly veterans who served in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War or during the Cold War era. The organization, founded in 2015, offers support through social events, outreach initiatives, and recognition programs. Their mission is to honor our senior veterans in their communities and beyond, and to guard and preserve their legacies for future generations.
The organization is rooted in family. Founders Chris Batté and Elaine Oakes became involved with another nonprofit in Tennessee through Elaine’s grandfather, local legend and World War II veteran, Sherwin Callander. After experiencing being with senior veterans Batté and Oakes started Honoring Veteran Legacies in January 2020, right before the world shut down.
Callander, also known as Chick Magnet passed away in July 2022 at 102-years-old. He was a staple at all Honoring Veteran Legacies’ events. Oakes says the time she spent with him at these events as his “plus one, chauffeur and personal secretary” were priceless.
“I didn’t even know he was a World War II veteran until he moved here in 2014. That’s when he opened up about Pearl Harbor, being a plank holder at the Navy base in Norfolk, Virginia and D-Day,” Oakes said. “I learned so much about the war in general, and on a very personal basis, and by him getting involved in veteran activities, it got me involved in veteran activities. And man did we have fun. I miss him.”
The group accomplishes the first part of their mission primarily through the monthly meetings at Hope Church in Madison. These meetings begin with coffee, sweet treats and fellowship for 45 minutes before relocating to the church’s sanctuary where veterans are treated to a speaker from the community that shares information, history and activities that the group can enjoy together. And a meeting is not complete without the playing of the Armed Forces Medley, giving veterans the opportunity to stand and represent their branch of service.
“Some of our veterans love our group and our activities. They make coming to the meeting a priority, and get there very early for the fellowship that happens before the meeting,” Oakes said. “We celebrate their birthdays and anniversaries. We award jackets with patches that help give them a sense of belonging.”
The meetings have grown to about 80-100 people at each one. This is a mixture of veterans, perhaps, friends or caregivers. Like the volunteers and Oakes, veterans see the value in being a part of Honoring Veteran Legacies. Duane Hoffman, a Korean War veteran who served as a photographer on aircraft carriers did not feel his service was the same as those who went into battle. A television interview of a high-ranking officer who served on an aircraft carrier changed his mind, and joining HVL made him feel like even more of a veteran.
“It is an honor to honor. And that goes both ways,” Hoffman said.”When the organization took us to the dedication of the Korean Memorial in Washington, D.C., it was heartwarming. It was something I’ll never forget. In our free time walking around, Korean women and children came up to me to tell me that they were there because of men like me. That’s something you will never forget. Those are the opportunities Honoring Veteran Legacies gives to veterans.”
The group also offers support through a volunteer-to-veteran adoption process, allowing the development of personal relationships that aid in offering assistance in various areas that people encounter later in life. Cards are a vital piece of that adoption system. Also, in the past, the group took trips, including trips to the D-Day Anniversary activities in Normandy and Washington D.C.
“Some of our veterans have been on the bigger trips, but many say they don’t want to travel “that far” for be gone for “that long”. Some of our veterans who may be more home-bound really enjoy the cards they receive from HVL for birthdays or when they fall ill. We have a great volunteer in charge of that,” Oakes said. “I’ve heard folks say that they enjoy being able to talk to someone ‘who understands.’”
After a discussion with World War II veteran Harold McMurran, a few years ago, the organization decided to add an educational component, hence preserving legacies for future generations. In that discussion, McMurran revealed that he did not expect thanks for his service. In fact, he said that he did what all the guys did during the war—served their country. He did, however, disclose that having his story, along with the stories of other veterans, told to younger generations would be a gesture of honor.
Honoring Veteran Legacies, Eternal Salute is dedicated to fulfilling McMurran’s wish. The program features a gallery of online cross-curricular lesson plans that include a professionally filmed video interview with a veteran to establish the lesson plan’s objective. Currently, the website contains approximately 50 lesson plans covering subjects such as social studies, math, science, and family and consumer science.
“This enables our veterans’ stories to be inserted into various classes, where they are an interruptor of sorts—and through that veteran’s story and lesson plan, the students can gain an appreciation for the service and sacrifice of the veteran, as well as have a more 'real world' example of the concept being taught,” Oakes said. “Imagine being in English class and your teacher showing a veteran’s story of D-Day, and being asked to write a letter home and send it through V-mail. What would you be feeling? What would you say to the family back home? This is just one example. We hope to fill it with lesson plans created by our wonderful teachers, many of whom have experience with a military veteran in their family. In contrast, fewer and fewer of our students have that experience anymore, as a way to honor those who fought for the freedoms we still enjoy today.”
Volunteer, Marcia Crouch, knows firsthand the impact the organization can have on veterans. Her father, Pat Patterson, served in the Navy during World War II and was a faithful member of Honoring Veteran Legacies, joining the group when he moved from Memphis to Huntsville a few years ago.
“I always enjoyed seeing him interact with the other veterans in the group. Daddy would always say that he did nothing special during the time of war. It was just doing one’s duty for their country,” Crouch said. “He did not go anywhere without wearing his WWII hat, and he never tired of people coming up to him to shake his hand. He was just proud that people cared all those many years after the war.”
In 2023, Crouch, her father and her sister attended the anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, France. The trip was organized through Honoring Veteran Legacies, which took two other World War II veterans on the journey.
“He enjoyed every minute of that trip,” Crouch said. “He would turn to us and say that he didn’t serve in Europe, that he served in the Pacific. We just reminded him that he was being recognized for being a veteran and that the work he did in the Pacific helped others win the war.”
Patterson’s video and an accompanying lesson plan on how the Navy used signal flags to communicate from ship to ship in the war were recently added to the Eternal Salute online lesson plan gallery.
“I escorted him to his interview, and I was impressed by how he told his story. He was a salesman for a career and always enjoyed being the center of attention,” Crouch said. “It makes my heart proud that his story will be taught in schools. For kids to have a living tale to learn from is a credit to Honoring Veteran Legacies.”
Patterson passed away in May 2025, but Crouch remains committed to the organization that she says made her father happy. She serves as the hospitality lead, greeting every veteran as they enter Hope Church for their monthly meetings. She also sends cards, makes phone calls, and works with veterans and their spouses during times of need.
“It’s interesting to me as I get to know these veterans that, although they have done these incredible things, they do not think they are better. They are devoted to their country, and I love being around them and learning from them. They inspire me,” Crouch said. “It’s like I am helping my Daddy. The little things I do may make their life a little easier, a little happier.”
Although a co-founder, Oakes has recently taken on the role of serving as the organization’s president. She coordinates meetings, volunteers, fundraising and works with the education portion, but she says the best part of it all is getting to know the veterans on a personal level, and finding out what brings them honor.
For some, they love the public recognition—especially our WWII veterans and some of our Vietnam veterans who did not get the “welcome home” that they deserved. They love being in parades, going to military dinners and ceremonies, and being recognized at various sporting events,” Oakes said. “For others, it’s about a more private experience—like getting them to a meaningful event or perhaps having a student get to know them and learn about their story. I also enjoy helping them get their veteran benefits—whether through taking them to the VA office early in the morning and getting in line to get them seen or by connecting them with others in our community who help with benefits. We have a lot of great resources in this area and we like to collaborate.”
One thing is for certain, Oakes always pays tribute to the one who got her involved in the organization that brings honor and relevance to veterans-her grandfather.
“My grandfather always kicked off the meetings with a joke. His goal was to make one person laugh every day. He loved telling jokes,” Oakes said. “We made it a part of our meetings, and when he passed, I figured I could continue as a tribute to him.”