POWERGRAMS

9 One of the post's major volunteer efforts during the holiday season is raising funds and collecting toys for children in need through the Marine Corps' Toys for Tots program. Members also collect clothes, toys and toiletries for foster children supported by Garre's Place in Bessemer. During the post's Toys for Tots drive, Frye gets into the spirit in a big way by sponsoring his own personal fundraisers. In 2021, he brought in an additional $650 by eating the "world's hoest tortilla chip" live on Facebook. In 2022, Frye stepped up his game. He agreed to spend 24 hours in the Hueytown city jail if he collected up to $1,000. Any amount raised above $1,000 would send him to jail for 48 hours. Frye had raised $550 by the time he was scheduled to turn himself into the police chief. "When I told the chief how much I had raised, he opened up his desk drawer and handed me a check from the city of Hueytown for $400," Frye said. "That was only $950, so he opened his drawer again and pulled out $50 from pey cash." Realizing that was only $1,000, the chief asked his police lieutenant if he had any change in his pocket. "The lieutenant said, 'How much change do you need?' And the chief said, 'One penny,'" Frye said. That penny sent Frye to jail for two days. Frye said he received the full treatment. He was fingerprinted, and the police took his mugshot. He also wore an orange jumpsuit and ate and slept with the other prisoners. "If I tell people in the community I'm going to jail, and then they find out I went home and slept in my own bed at night, they won't give me any more money," Frye said. "I'm a man of my word." Frye's post supports disaster relief efforts, retreats for veterans, youth leadership camps and programs like Alabama Girls and Boys State, which teaches teens about the inner workings of government. The post also sponsors its own baseball team and hosts the local American Legion Oratorical Contest. In addition to his volunteer service through the American Legion, Frye, along with his wife, Bonnie, gives back to the community through Neighborhood Bridges, a nonprofit organization that uses technology and social media to locate needed items for underprivileged children. Dressed as Santa's elves, the couple visits Garre's Place during the holidays. There, they and other elves from the American Legion help foster parents shop for Christmas gis for their children. Frye said his post serves eight communities in western Jefferson County, including Hueytown, Oak Grove, Pleasant Grove, Sylvan Springs, Alliance, Birmingport, Rock Creek and Concord. Frye is especially excited that his post recently purchased and is renovating its own "forever home," a 3,400-square-foot building that sits on 2 acres. Along with hosting their meetings in the building, post members plan to make it available for community functions. Frye said he is proud to serve other veterans through his role as post commander. "I have much respect for all branches of the service," Frye said. "We all kid each other and poke fun at each other but, at the end of the day, we know that we have each other's back and will do anything for each other." Reflecting on his years in the military, Frye said it was "one of the best times of my life." "Even now at this point in my life, I still find myself wishing I had stayed and made a career of it," Frye said. "If I got called upon now, even at my age, I would be honored to go back if I could help in any way." By Carla Davis Always a leader, Frye helped start American Legion Post 1228 in Hueytown. As part of a Toys for Tots fundraising promise, Frye spent two nights in jail. Photo by Phil Free

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