Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI

January 17, 2007, Front page

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.

New Legion Hall welcomed by one and all

The new 14,000 square-feet Neillsville American Legion Hall and community center with a parking lot to match was tested by a large crowd coming to check out the new facility during the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday. An estimated 250 people came to the Saturday (January 13, 2007) ribbon-cutting ceremony for the long-awaited and much-anticipated new Neillsville American Legion Hall and community center.  It was highly unlikely that any one of them could have left there disappointed.

Taking part in the official ribbon-cutting ceremony in front of the main entrance of the new Neillsville American Legion Hall and community center were (from left to right) Neillsville Mayor Diane Murphy, long-time Legion Member Pink Van Gorden, Legion Commander Rick Thoma and Ernie Gaden who, at 93, is the oldest of the legion members.

The event included tours of the 14,000-square-foot facility offering a 400-person capacity banquet hall, along with two separate meeting rooms.  One has space enough for 100 people; the other can seat 30.  The large and open bar area has the rustic décor of log-cabin walls and the surrounding warmth of wood wainscoting.  In all, the spaciousness, brightness and access offered by the new single-level building were in sharp contrast to the cramped and dank quarters of the old Legion Hall.

“The accomplishment of Post 73 is much appreciated,” said Neillsville Mayor Diane Murphy in her opening remarks before the ribbon-cutting ceremony. 

In reciting a history of the building project, Murphy recalled the Neillsville Common Council realizing back in 2004 that the city needed a community center.  But soon, it was the American Legion members taking the initiative.

“We’re very thankful for that.” Murphy said.  “It’s been almost three years since then, and look, what has happened.”

The mayor recalled the community’s generosity in the completion of the project, including the Listeman Foundation with its $250,000 donation, along with the contribution of cash and pledges from many organizations, businesses and individuals for the $1.2 million facility.  The three acres of land for the building was donated by Boon Construction, she noted.

Much good is now sure to come Neillsville’s way, Murphy predicted.  “This facility will help our entire community,” she said.  Neillsville had been losing out on events requiring larger accommodations, said Murphy.

The new Legion Hall and community center will attract visitors and business customers to the city, Murphy said, and started to read off what sounded like nearly every tourist attraction and business establishment in Neillsville.  “The list goes on and on,” she finally said.  Some of those very same visitors and customers might well decide to stay and live in Neillsville, or perhaps start a business in the community, the mayor added.

“The city of Neillsville is so grateful to you, American Legion and Auxiliary for taking a dream and making it a reality,” Murphy said.  “You have put your hearts and souls into this project and worked long hours.”

In his remarks, Neillsville American Legion Commander Rick Thoma reserved special thanks for DeWayne Seelow, Chairman of the American Legion Building Committee.  “Without him, we couldn’t have gotten this thing off the ground,” Thoma said.

Thoma went to some length, as well, to express appreciation for the quality of workmanship, as well as the spirit, of the contractors, many of them local firms, who took the blueprints of the architect, O’Donnell Engineering, of Marshfield and made them a reality.

Woodwright Construction, of Neillsville, general contractor for the project, was praised by Thoma, as was the concrete contractor, Jeff DeMert, who donated labor and materials in memory of his dad, “Buck” DeMert.

The honor of cutting the ribbon should go to two of the oldest members of the Neillsville American Legion, Ernie Gaden and Pink Van Gorden, Thoma said.  Joined by Murphy and Thoma, the two elder statesmen completed the ceremony in short order.

With that, the official program had come to an end, Thoma announced.  He then invited the people there that morning to feel free to stay and enjoy what the facility had to offer.  And they did, staying long after the ribbon-cutting to admire the cheery warmth of the bar area, relax in one of the rooms or marvel at the expansive banquet hall.

The new Legion hall is now officially open for business, Thoma later confirmed and events to be held there have been quickly lining up.  Two Christmas parties, each one in a separate room, were booked for that evening.  The Chamber of Commerce Recognition Banquet is set for Thursday, January 18^th, and the Sons of American Legion gun show is coming up on January 27^th and 28^th.

The new Neillsville American Legion Hall and community center’s Grand Opening that will include a number of invited dignitaries, is scheduled for Saturday, March 24^th.

Standing at one end of the banquet hall having capacity for 400 people, Karen Hoppa, of the Neillsville American Legion Auxiliary, has a conversation with Dan Campbell, Commander of the American Legion of Clark County.  The banquet hall comes complete with a 10-foot wide garage door (left) that should provide a special and easy access way for whatever event might be held there in the future.

In making the ribbon-cutting and other events at the new Neillsville American Legion Hall and community center a part of her first birthday, Abigail Koepp, shows her enthusiastic support for the occasion.  The daughter of Jason (at right) and Lisa Koepp, she just happens to have Legion Commander Rick Thoma as her grand-dad.

New Legion Hall’s Grand Opening this Saturday

The “grand opening” for the new Neillsville American Legion Hall and community center will be held this Saturday, March 24, beginning at 11 a.m.

In an opening program, Neillsville Legion Post Commander Rick Thoma will introduce legion commanders from both the state and the county.  Other dignitaries taking part will include both local and state elected officials.  Neillsville Mayor Diane Murphy, Assemblyman Scott Suder and Senator Pat Kreitlow will be among them.

Following the opening program, the Neillsville Area Chamber of Commerce will conduct a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony welcoming the Legion Hall and community center as a new business to Neillsville.

Lunch will be offered by the Legion Auxiliary.  Afternoon activities will feature Bingo and cribbage, along with live music, starting with old-time favorites presented by Pete Peterson and his son Troy, from 1 to 5 p.m.  At 9 p.m., the more contemporary sounds of “Mickey and the Motor Cars” will present four more hours of music to end the day of celebration.

Source: Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI, March 21, 2007, Front Page.