Bannock County veterans need your help repairing historic building
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POCATELLO — The Bannock County Veterans Memorial Association building has flooded, and the organization is asking for donations to cover repairs.
On Saturday, Jan. 5, the women’s upstairs bathroom toilet overflowed. Since it was the weekend, no one saw it until Monday.
Board member and building historian Miguel Dominic says the water reached the downstairs, flooding several rooms, including the ballroom.
Repairs will need to be extensive. The wood under the upstairs and the walls need to be replaced.
The estimated cost to fix is $100,000 to $200,000. The association filed an insurance claim, but its insurance company said it didn’t cover plumbing issues for buildings of that age.
Since the insurance company denied the claim, the Bannock County Veteran’s Memorial Association is asking the public to donate to cover the repair costs. Its goal is $250,000. You can donate here.
The building was built in 1926 as a tribute to fallen service members in World War I and later, World War II. Today, the building serves as a home to 14 different veteran service organizations. On top of that, the people can reserve the space for events.
Christopher Riley used to be an Air Force security police officer and now does military plaque wood working for the building. He says the veteran community he has found at the building has made all the difference.
“I was in some dark places for a long time after surgery, and it was this place that helped me get back into the light,” Riley said. “It’s nice to know that we’re not alone.”
“We’re hoping that we can get this repaired so that this building continues to serve the veterans in the community,” Dominic said. “We’d still like it to last another 100 years and be around for the later generations.”
Our attorneys tell us we need to put this disclaimer in stories involving fundraisers: EastIdahoNews.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries.
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