Facing declining membership, the Larue Messenger American Legion Post 26 in Niles may be selling its building.

The post is holding a special meeting Tuesday to discuss an offer made by a party interested in purchasing the property at 1707 Miller Drive.

John Sly, vice commander for the post, said the post’s officers have been considering selling the property for a while.

The post closed the bar three years ago, so it is now used just for meetings and bingo events.

Membership has dropped drastically as of late, according Sly.

He said there are currently about 100 members but only a handful will show up at the post’s monthly meetings. Just as recently as last May, the post had more than 500 legionnaires.

“A lot of it is that the younger ones, the vets nowadays, don’t join organizations like this anymore,” he said.

“And the older generation is getting to where they just don’t go out much anymore.”

Sly, 50, said he isn’t sure why veterans coming home from Iraq aren’t joining the Legion or how to draw them to the post.

“If I knew, I would be doing it,” he said.

“I’ve been pushing it on Facebook, asking questions how others are doing it.”

Declining Legion membership and posts closing are a national trend with so many World War II veterans passing away.

Still, Sly is hopeful the Niles post will be able to survive as younger veterans figure out the benefits of Legion membership.

“American Legions are here to help the veterans. For instance, we’ve got a service rep if they have medical problems,” he said.

The comradery is also important for veterans, Sly said.

“If you have a problem, someone else in the post will be able to help you work things out,” he said.

“We also tell war stories.”

Sly said he is hoping to get as many members as possible to the meeting next week.

“We need approval from the legionnaires,” he said.

“We can’t sit there as officers and just say we are going to sell it. We need their input also.”