New Post Building Project
1996: Commander Alex Longhway proposed a new Post building. Issues with limited parking, an occupancy permit that allowed only 49 persons in the club room, lack of wheelchair access to the upstairs and increasing costs to repair and maintain the building on Main St. led to us pursuing this idea.
1997: Commander James Forkhamer: Ideas and concepts were formed. Architect Thomas McCue was hired to draw plans. Based on the resulting plans, contractors were invited to meetings and gave information and estimates. A vote was taken and passed to go ahead with the new Post as soon as funding was arranged.
2004: Commander Paul Gorman: Winter damage to the Main St. building and the collapse of the pavilion (pole barn) at the field was repaired / rebuilt, largely by Post members and friends of the Post with money from an insurance claim. The money saved by doing the work ourselves was placed in the Post Building Fund. (See pictures in the Photo Gallery)
2005: Commander Paul Gorman: Requests for local and State grants had gone unanswered or were of such a small amount as to be insignificant. June 2005 - A vote was taken and passed by a majority on hand to start construction with monies in the Post Building Fund and to continue with raffles and fund raisers.
Through the Summer and Fall the land was cleared, the cellar and septic system excavated and blocked. Footers and slab poured. A mild Winter aided the project as we were able to build the exterior walls and the main interior partitions and got the trusses and roof on by Feb. of 2006. (See pictures in the Photo Gallery)
Windows and doors were installed through the Summer, siding completed in October 2006.
Ladies Auxiliary is raising funds to outfit the kitchen, our newly formed (2004) Men's Auxiliary is building the bar in the club room. Life member Russ Marsden has been ramrod for the project and along with Commander Gorman, lots of Post and Auxiliary members, and friends of the Post, have volunteered hundreds of hours to our beautiful new 60 X 120 ft. building. (See latest pictures in the Photo Gallery)
Don Babcock