American Legion gets remodeled, updated

Members of the Melvin Wester American Legion Post 412 in Belgium think their building hasn’t been touched since the late 1950s.

Until now.

The Legion recently unveiled a remodeling project that updated the hall’s kitchen and plumbing facilities.

“It all started with a drippy faucet,” post financial officer Bill May said.

Work began late last year.

“We were here the day after Christmas,” Post Commander Jerry Keller said.

Contractors, he said, wanted to start work on Jan. 1.

May left in January for Arizona when the building was torn up.

“I wondered how this would look when I got back,” he said. “I loved it.”

The project was completed in February, but few people saw the updated building due to Gov. Tony Evers’ Safer at Home order in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Legion had been saving for the project and used money from last year’s ATV raffle to defer the cost of about $43,000.

Kohler Co. donated all the plumbing, which included digging up the concrete floor and putting in a new sewer line to the street, as well as a handicapped-accessible bathroom, which the post didn’t have before.

Don Mueller Construction was the general contractor.

Other work included refinished cabinets, new countertops and a new sink. The storage room was even renovated.

“We’ve had nothing but fabulous comments,” First Vice Commander Al Poull said.

“It’s really beautiful. It updates the post,” Keller said.

The post hopes to hold an open house in spring.

The rest of the hall may be remodeled sometime down the road, Keller said.

The facility holds as many as 80 people and is available for rent. It has a refrigerator but not a stove. For information, contact Sandy Hubing at 285-3528.