VFW post expanding hall

Thu., Nov. 3, 2005

By Hilary Kraus hilaryk@spokesman.com

A little touch-up painting or patching a wall?

Members of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3386 in Airway Heights are going far beyond handyman chores as they construct an addition to their hall at 1307 S. Loffler St.

The project to build a 20-by-40 foot addition began in September, and the goal is to have it finished by spring, post commander Craig Payne said.

The labor is being done by some of the Post’s 232 members, from pouring the concrete to the electrical wiring.

“We’re doing pretty good for a small post,” Payne said. “If there is no money, all building stops, unlike other posts that are doing construction.”

The Post raised about $20,000 for the project through its once-a-month chicken fried steak dinner. Payne said members work on the weekends and after work as they race to beat the first snow.

Payne, a Vietnam veteran who works at Fairchild Air Force Base, and post service officer Jerry Herker are on the construction site all the time, Payne said.

The room will be used as a meeting and social area and will have a capacity of about 340.

“Our ultimate goal is to be able to have District 9 meetings here,” Payne said.

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