By Heather Bell
RADFORD – With the roof replaced on the historic American Legion Post 30 building in Radford, attention is turning to its continued restoration.
In late 2021, the city made a $12,143 donation to the American Legion to fund the roof repair on the nearly 100-year-old building. Councilwoman Jessie Foster, an Air Force veteran, has taken the project under her wing, securing a sizable donation of labor to make the roof project financially feasible. Foster said recently she is excited for the next phase of the project and is hoping community members will support those efforts with volunteer time and donations.
“Now that the roof has been replaced, and further water damage avoided, it is time to switch our focus to other projects needing attention,” said Foster. “We are still going to require skilled assistance as we need drywall repair, heating and plumbing issues resolved and painting, inside and out. We’ll be reaching out to the community to identify skilled volunteers with the added advantage of being a nonprofit so the donation of time and materials can be tax deductible.”
Foster said the project offers the perfect chance for community groups to contribute to a worthy project: helping veterans and beautifying the historic structure.
“This is where organizations and individuals can roll up their sleeves and get dirty,” Foster said. “Speaking of dirt, we’ll be organizing a landscaping project as early as this spring, cleaning up, creating new beds and cleaning up old beds. The property is also in dire need of an ongoing commitment of mowing throughout the growing season. Currently, the Legion members are relying on friends to mow sporadically with grass and weeds growing quite rapidly.”
Foster thanked City Manager David Ridpath and her fellow council members for supporting the effort to see this historic building restored and our veterans shown the respect they so much deserve.
“This has been a very important personal goal of mine as a veteran to see this building saved and restored, and they also recognized the need to step up as a city to get this project off the ground,” Foster said. “The first and most important step was to mitigate further damage associated with water on and in the building.”
Costs of the roof replacement increased significantly when it was determined there were shingles on the roof made of asbestos, nearly stopping the project in its tracks.
“I contacted a close family friend, Danny Lust from Empire Salvage, and asked him to assess this project and give me a quote on the removal and disposal of the shingles,” Foster said. “He met me at the Legion building and he asked what budget we were working with, to which I responded, “Zero dollars. After much contemplation, he acknowledged the importance of saving this historical building and agreed to provide his services for free as a donation to our veterans and our city.”
Roanoke Roofing and Sheet Metal stepped up to replace the roof at a very reasonable rate, Foster said, “identifying cost-saving measures along the way to maximize the material donations from Home Depot, who came on as a partner to this project very early on in the process and provided much-needed guidance and resources. They have stepped up to ensure that the materials were all covered, which was no small tab.
“This building has served our community in many important ways throughout the years,” Foster said. “The most important, in my opinion, is that it has provided our servicemen and women a meeting place to support one another and a venue in which to honor those sacrifices that war necessitates. The Legion members remain dedicated and committed to ensuring this building remains a memorial as well as an active space for congregation and celebration.
‘My heart is very full at the outpouring of support that this project and our veterans have received,” she said. “Keep an eye out in local news, social media, council meetings, and our Radford City government website for updates on projects and ways that you can be involved. And all of our projects, moving forward, will require financial donations.”
Anyone interested in helping out can make a donation to The American Legion at PO BOX 714, Radford, VA 24142.
