It took awhile for American Legion Commander Ted Canellos to locate him, but on Saturday, armed with a framed certificate for continuous membership, Canellos met up with Kenneth Bates to present him with the award.
For 70 years, Bates has been a continuing member of the American Legion Post 31 in Kewanee, a recognition that doesn’t pass unnoticed. At 97, Bates joined the legion when he was just 27 after serving in Korea as an Army combat engineer.
He married his wife, Donna, 69 years ago in November and farmed after his military service. Today, Bates and his wife call Courtyard Estates home and as he has done for many years, Bates continues to design art using clothespins. Donna said he spent a lot of time after he retired from farming in the basement working on his hobby.
Canellos, who is an Army veteran and served from 1958-1966 in the 3rd Division, said that he went to several locations to find Bates to deliver the award. He can only remember a few other veterans who were 70-year continuous members of the organization.
