Building a new home is a big deal for an organization dedicated to serving the community for future generations, and members of Bunnell AmVets 113 have made it a priority.
Building a new home is a big deal for an organization dedicated to serving the community for future generations, and members of Bunnell AmVets 113 have made it a priority.
Following a groundbreaking ceremony last May, AmVets members were off and running for construction of the Steel Rail Road location. The 5,000-square-foot building will be a major step up from the rented location the post has been housed in on U.S. 1 near the Thunder Gulch campground.
The new home will include a spacious conference room, handicap-accessible restrooms, a kitchen and cantina where members can gather for camaraderie and host special events that support outreach programs for veterans.
Don Cox, a 25-year U.S. Army veteran and post commander, is looking forward to moving into the new facility but it hasn’t come without a few surprises, such as the need for a fire suppression and back-flow prevention system and a paved parking lot. The surprises have pushed back the group's move-in date.
Bunnell resident Charles Burgan, the general contractor overseeing the project, said he was so inspired by the members and their work within the community that he joined up through his father’s service in the military.
“It’s awesome to see it come to fruition," Burgan said. "I feel like I’m a part of the organization and I’m very proud of this. It’s my baby. We’ve all worked very well as a team together and hopefully we’ll have it finished in the next couple of months.”
Burgan even threw in a few free "extras." His team built the handmade bar that is the centerpiece of the cantina, finished the work with an upgraded façade to match the building’s exterior, and added dimming illumination for ambiance that is stylish and elegant.
“I gave these guys a couple of surprises along the way,” Burgan said recently while showing off the handiwork. “It’s rewarding when I come up here and see what we’ve accomplished, we’ve put a lot of energy and effort into it.”
The post also is home to the AmVets Ladies Axillary, Sons of AmVets and the AmVets Riders, which engage in community outreach and support, providing scholarships, wheelchairs to those in need, troop care packages and food bank donations. Cox is proud of the work done by the local chapter and its members.
“It makes me feel good to be involved in an organization like this,” said Cox.