Henryetta’s Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 539 will have a new home.
health departmentTuesday night, members were granted use of the old Health Department building across from the football field.
The organization had been meeting in a metal framed building that had been erected in the 1970s. Today, a dwindling membership attendance and lack of funds have sent the building into disrepair.
“The building is caving in around them,” said Jennifer Clason at the city council meeting.
She said the roof leaks and the post can no longer afford to pay the utility bills to heat and cool the building.vfw door sign
The health department vacated the building over three years ago and the property was turned over to the city in a land swap with the county earlier this year.
“They (VFW) do a lot of things for our community,” Clason said. Among those are the annual placement of flags on veterans’ graves, Memorial Day service, providing hospital beds, wheelchairs, walkers and crutches to veterans at no charge.
“We provide that to veterans with no strings attached,” said council member Bill Goodner. “The idea is those guys and women, when Uncle Sam called, they answered and did their duty.”
Goodner, who is also commander of the local VFW post, said there are plans to try and set up a clinic through the Veterans Administration at the building.
Since he is the VFW commander, Goodner abstained from voting for the building while council members Christy Jeffcoat, Shannon Scott and Clason approved it.