Vets on verge of losing Legion building

One by one, nine veterans filed into the chilly American Legion building on Friday morning. The purpose was for an informal meeting to discuss the future of the 62-year-old building on Jefferson Street. Jim Fink, the Post 199 Legion Commander for the past 10 years, entered first.

Soon after, Gary Buysse, Harold DeSmet and Leon Kack entered; followed by Byron Higgin, Omar Laleman, Tom Hovland, Mike Sontag and Ed Lozinski.

These nine military veterans combined have been members of the American Legion for over 320 years.

On the 100th anniversary of the American Legion organization, each one of these active members had to be wondering how many more times they would be calling this building home. “We don't want to lose this building,” said Fink.

“But unless we can come up with some ideas on how to keep it open, we might have to try and sell it.” When asked how long they could continue operating the building before being forced to put it up for sale, Fink responded, “By the end of the year.”

The proud veterans representing the Minneota American Legion range in age from 30 to 103 years old; the latter being Milo Kern, who has been an American Legion member for 73 years.

“Kids just don't seem to be coming back to town after they graduate from college or get married,” said Kack. “That affects everything.” “There just aren't jobs in small cities anymore for them to come back for,” Buysse remarked.

The number of members of the Minneota Legion under the age of 40 can be counted on one hand; or actually one or two fingers. And that is where the problem lies.

Unless younger veterans join the Legion, it will soon be phased out. Legion members are definitely taken for granted; expected to be there in time of need. When a veteran passes away, some of the current Legion members are on hand at a funeral to honor them with a military send-off.

“I've attended 114 military funerals,” said Hovland, a 53-year member of the Legion. “And I've heard a lot of people say how much they really appreciate the Legion members being there for the funerals.”

On Veterans Day and Memorial Day, there they are front and center carrying flags and giving speeches to honor the past and present veterans who served our country. Or when young men need sponsorship to attend Boys State, there they are. For how much longer, though?

“The numbers keep declining,” said Gary Buysse.

“When I first joined in 1969, it was the 50th anniversary of the Legion and we had 167 members. Now, we have around 80.”

Among those 80, however, less than a dozen are active members. During the informal meeting, news came out about the death of longtime member Louis Buysse, a World War II veteran, who had passed away the day before. That’s one less Legion member and no new members signing up to replace him.

The Legion building costs such as property taxes, insurance, utilities and repairs have been funded in part by the members themselves. “The last four or five years have been a struggle to pay the heating, electricity, insurance and things like that,” said Fink. “A lot of times it's been the veterans who are paying some of these bills. We can't go on much longer in debt. We're losing money each month.” And Kack, a carpenter by trade, has donated a lot of his time to repair and renovate the building. “A lot of what's been done here is due to Leon,” said Higgin, the current Vice Commander. “A lot of guys have helped out and given their sweat and blood to this place.”

“It's fine and dandy that we’ve put some of our own money in to help out,” said Lozinski, who has been a Legion member in St. Leo, Taunton and Minneota for the past 45 years. “But once the money is gone … then what? You can't keep relying on the members to keep opening their checkbooks.”

Current yearly dues don't begin to cover any of the costs of maintaining a building of this size. The annual membership dues are $37.50, yet only $2.50 stays local while the remainder goes to the National and State American Legion clubs. Contributions are slim or none. So keeping the building afloat relies on the community usage.

In other words, the more events that are held in the building, the better chance the building won't sink.

“We've tried to keep the Legion going by refurbishing the floor, putting in an elevator and renovating certain things,” said Higgin.

“But competition has taken away our business. Generally, it's a nice facility not being used to its capacity.” And the rental cost of the Legion building is very reasonable for those interested in hosting an event.

“We're not renting it to make a mint,” one member says. “You won't find a place like this that charges so little to use it.”

When the Legion hosts certain events in its building, they can generate money from the open bar located in the southwest corner. KB's Ballroom in Ghent and the Heritage Event Center outside Taunton have enticed some of the events that used to be held in the Legion building in Minneota.

“You can't blame those places either,” said DeSmet. “They want the business, too.”

Fink takes out an appointment book and reveals the monthly reservations for renting the building. Three events were booked for February, two for March, and just one so far for April. Some events, such as the Bloodmobile are given free use of the building.

“We have three graduation receptions booked for May and one for June,” Fink said.

“But we have nothing for the summer months. We'd like to see a lot more community functions held in this building.” Buysse said it really wouldn't take a major change to keep the building in the black.

“If we could host 10 to 12 big dances or benefits a year, we would be able to keep operating,” he said. “We need the local community to have their wedding dances, parties or other events in here.”

“If the community wants to support it, we can keep it going,” echoed Higgin. The Legion members then take the meeting downstairs; some using the elevator and some the stairs. Once there, a four-lane bowling alley can be seen collecting dust from being unused over the last four or five years. Bowling balls of all colors and weights still sit neatly on racks. A yellow sign in the small concession area reads: “Hot pizza”, which was once sold to bowling enthusiasts.

The Legion members hired someone to manage the bowling alley five years ago.

“She cleaned it up so it looked really nice down here,” said Fink.

“We didn't get a lot of people down here to bowl, though. And then the manager quit and it hasn't been open since.”

Re-opening the bowling alley in order for the Legion to generate revenue is not feasible because, like the interest in individuals joining organizations having waned in recent years, so too has the interest in bowling.

“The pinsetters need repair now, too,” said Fink. “It just wouldn't pay to get it up and running again.” A seldom-used meeting room with an impressive military mural on the back wall is located in the northwest corner of the basement.

A large sign lists all the Legion Commanders in Minneota since its inception in 1919. Also in the meeting room are several wheelchairs, walkers, canes and other handicapped accessible apparatus.

Fink explained that anyone in the community can use the equipment free of charge, compliments of the Legion members. Now the members are left pondering their next step in an attempt to maintain the building.

“We don't have a game plan right now,” said Buysse. “We're going to have to reorganize and start from scratch. Then maybe some ideas will come out. Right now, we're just treading water.”

The future may look bleak, but the pride and patriotism of these veterans won’t allow them to surrender by waving a white flag just yet.