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Laughlin volunteers restore local VFW building

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Nathan Maysonet
  • 47th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  More than 70 Laughlin volunteers spent the morning of July 27, cleaning, prepping and painting the Del Rio chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars meeting house.

The building, whose exterior had weathered and peeled away beneath the Texas sun, was revitalized thanks to the day's efforts.

"We came together as airmen, enlisted and officers alike, to give back to the men and women of the VFW for their service to our country," said Senior Airman Javier Moreno, 47th Flying Training Wing Precision Measurement and Equipment Laboratory scheduler and restoration project manager. "The VFW really needed our help. The building looked down and needed a facelift."

The idea for the project began with a social visit Moreno and several other airmen made to the VFW. The building's exterior had become so badly faded and its lettering almost unreadable, that finding the VFW building was difficult, Moreno explained.

"The building just wasn't noticeable and was hidden along the street," said Moreno. "It had been so long since it was last painted that the VFW, and what it represents, just wasn't getting the kind of exposure it deserved."

After talking with several VFW members about the building's disrepair, Moreno was introduced to the chapter's commander, retired Army Sgt. 1st Class Ventura Mancha, and learned that the normally active chapter was doing less in the community in order to save the funds necessary to paint the building.

"The VFW is very active in the community and we spend a lot of time reaching out to the local veterans and helping those veterans that need a little money to get by," said Mancha. "The money these volunteers saved us by helping paint our building is more money we can use to help those veterans."

As Moreno began planning for the project, word spread that volunteers were needed and the number of willing airmen offering to help quickly grew.

"When I heard about the project I knew I wanted to be involved in it," said Daniel Craduer, a T-6A Texan II aircraft mechanic. "It's always fun getting out and making a difference, especially for veterans who have done so much."

The painting, which was estimated to cost thousands and take more than 40 hours for the VFW to complete on their own, was finished in a little more than three hours.

"There was a lot of work to be done on the building, but there was such a turnout that we got it done far quicker than we ever imagined," said Moreno. "There were so many volunteers that we didn't have enough materials to go around and we were swapping people in and out so everyone could help."

Mancha and the rest of the VFW are thankful for the help they received and are amazed at the huge turnout of volunteers willing to give their time and energy to restoring their building.

"The volunteers did an outstanding job," said Mancha. "They worked so hard together and I was shocked by the number of volunteers. From all the veterans, thank you. If you ever need us, our doors are always open."