Politics

County breaks ground on $4.7M VFW renovation

Commissioners Michael Edney, Daniel Andreotta, David Hill, Bill Lapsley and Rebecca McCall celebrate the start of a $4.7 million renovation of the Hedrick-Rhodes VFW Post 5206. [HENDERSON COUNTY VIDEO]

By Lightning Reports, Published: July 25, 2023

Henderson County commissioners, administrators, veterans advocates and schoolchildren on Tuesday broke ground on a $4.7 million renovation of the Hedrick-Rhodes VFW Post 5206, declaring the county's commitment to veterans services and promising to renew the space where combat veterans have congregated for year to "let go of those times that they experienced when they were in war.”

Built in 1948, the two-story post home served hundreds of World War II veterans with socials, dances and meals, known at the time as one of the largest and most active VFWs in the state. Henderson County acquired the building from the VFW for $35,635 in April 2021 and set aside American Rescue Plan money to pay for the renovation.

“We’re excited to be given the opportunity to save this building and not have it torn down and become whatever it might have become,” County Commission Chair Rebecca McCall said. “There’s a lot of history for our county in this building. It was built as a place for our veterans to come and be together and reflect and just let go of those times that they experienced when they were in war.”

Commissioners last week authorized a contract for a guaranteed maximum price of $4,682,261 for Blum Construction to complete the project, which includes repairs and renovations throughout the building, a new catering kitchen, rest rooms, an expanded veterans services office, a mini-museum decicated to veterans and meeting space community groups and civic clubs can use. The county plans a ribbon-cutting on the Fourth of July next year.

“We’re very excited to go ahead and kick off this 12-month process of renovating this beautiful historic county asset," Christopher Todd, who is spearheading the project as the county's director of business and community development. "We’re ready to bring back to life a building that has served veterans in this county for almost 75 years and hopefully another 75.

"One of the things that we want to do in Henderson County is to grow our veterans services, and this building is going to give us that opportunity to do that."

The newly adopted county budget more than doubles the investment in veterans, enabling the county to go from a parttime veterans services office to two fulltime officers.

"Those are the folks here in Henderson County that work with individuals to make sure that they’re getting the benefits that they’re owed, and deserve," Todd said.

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Henderson County Communications Director Mike Morgan provided video reporting.