Local youth continues to raise money for American Legion robbed in September
East Syracuse American Legion member Luke Liedka enjoys spending time at Arthur Butler Post 359 on West Manlius Street, watching sports and chatting with veterans and fellow members. So when he heard in early September that his Post had been robbed of $2,500 by two armed men, Liedka started raising funds to not only help repay the Legion chapter, but also raise enough money to also help pay for a new security system for the building.
So far, Liedka has raised almost $3,000, with a goal of getting to $5,000 by Veterans Day, Nov. 11.
And what’s even more impressive is that Liedka is only 8 years old.
“It makes me sad that people would rob veterans and now we need to give the money back and try to get them a security system,” Liedka said.
He started a GoFundMe page on Sept. 12 — four days after the robbery — and he made the first donation of $100. As of press time, the site had raised approximately $2,800 from more than 60 donors.
“I love helping veterans, they are my heroes. They help me stay safe, now it’s my turn to help them,” he wrote on the GoFundMe page, which can be found online at gofundme.com/2r7hyuck?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=email&utm_content=cta_button&utm_campaign=upd_n.
“That was a tremendous help that he did this; we’re a non-profit and we don’t work on a lot of funds, just what our membership gives us,” said John Neider Post 359 vice commander. “He’s an awesome little kid who helps out whenever he can.”
According to the DeWitt police, Post 359 was robbed at about 7:35 p.m. on Sept. 8. Two black men entered the bar, threatened the use of a gun and stole approximately $2,500. The suspects were described as both wearing jeans and hooded sweatshirts. One was wearing a gray sweatshirt and the other was wearing a red sweatshirt.
DeWitt Police Department Sgt. Chase Bilodeau said the two suspects remain at large and there has been no new information on the case.
Liedka, who’s American Legion membership comes through his grandfather who served in the Korean War, gave Post officials a check for $2,500 about two weeks ago to repay the money that was stolen. There was no ceremony or fanfare, just a brief meeting and the snapping of a picture by Liedka’s parents.
“We’re very proud of him,” said Danny Liedka, Luke’s father. “When this [robbery] happened, it just hit so close to home … He was very upset about it. The next day he said, ‘Is there something we can do about it?’ So this was all his idea.”
Luke has actually been an active fundraiser since he was six years old, his father said, when he started helping renovate Veterans Memorial Park in East Syracuse. “Ever since then, he’s all about helping vets – he even has his own [veterans memorial park annual] golf tournament,” Danny said. “This is coming from his heart … it’s pretty special; he’s a young man already looking up to our veterans.”
Liedka has already given one check to Post 359, but he is continuing his fundraising efforts to reach his $5,000 goal and help the Post install a new security system in the building so another robbery does not occur.
Post 359 bartender Nicole Rapp, who was working the night of the robbery, said she still feels nervous talking about it and still gets “skittish” when she leaves the bar at night.
Rapp said the knowledge that the Post is working to buy a new security system makes her feel safer — and Liedka’s fundraising to help the effort has impressed her.
“I can’t believe someone would actually do that — I think it’s great he took time out of his own life to put into raising money for us for what we lost,” Rapp said. “I think he’s definitely going do something for our community when he gets older; he’s going places. If he’s eight and raising money for something like this … I wanted to cry when I heard that, because he’s only 8 years old.”
Luke said he feels confident he will reach his $5,000 fundraising goal by Veterans Day, and he and his father are working one some other fundraising ideas to help supplement the GoFundMe page.
For more information, or to donate to Luke Liedka’s GoFundMe page to, visit gofundme.com/2r7hyuck?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=email&utm_content=cta_button&utm_campaign=upd_n.
