POST MAKEOVER

VFW Hall gets facelift 50 years in the making

For the first time in nearly half a century, the Maurice T. Suttles VFW Post 3413 has a new look, thanks to the generosity of many in the community.

The transformation was the visionary, charitable project of Steve Tucker, owner of 360 Painting Central Texas, in San Marcos.

“I’m a veteran and I drove past here all the time,” Tucker said. He said he was looking for a project for this year where he has an opportunity to give back to the community.

“For fifty years, it has never been painted,” he said.

Located at 1701 Hunter Road, for all these decades, the paint weathered and faded. Tucker decided that something could be done.

Two groups of young women teamed up to paint on Saturday, Feb. 18. The students are enrolled at Hill Country Christian School, they said. Climbing up and down scaffolding and ladders, high school students Sonora Hill, Mikayla Noble and Olivia Jordan, did not mind getting paint on sweat clothes. They handled a power paint sprayer with finesse, casting line after line of new paint over the old.

Tucker said, “They knocked it out of the park.” Jordan said she is interested in studying aviation in college because she wants to become a pilot. “We have a certain amount of service hours,” that students must complete at the school, Jordan explained.

By Saturday, Feb. 18, the work was nearly complete.

The front of the metal building is now a bright blue, thanks to a donation by veteran Adrian Avila and PPG which gave all of the paint for the project. Avila said he served with the 82nd Airborne unit of the U.S. Air Force, and felt it was necessary to be a part of the post’s makeover. He said the two colors of paints used are Federal Blue and Greyhound, part of the PPG Permanizer product line.

What may have started as just one man’s vision to improve both the look and the durability of the post building, drew even more additional support. Black’s Barbecue donated food to the painting teams. Copperfield Plumbing Services contributed and San Marcos Insurance Company through the assistance of Mike Butler, also helped out, Tucker said. Nicholas Dominguez provided for the entire outside of the building to be power- washed prior to the start of painting, he added.

Maurice T. Suttles VFW 3413 Commander Stephanie Brown, a U.S. Army and Air Force veteran, said the project is perfectly timed.

“We are always recruiting,” she said, and with a new coat of paint, the morale of all post members gets a boost.

She has led the post for three years.

Brown said that coming up on the calendar is a garage sale on from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., March 4. This is one of the post’s fundraising activities. Brown said the post is accepting donated items to sell as well as hosting individual table spaces on a first come, first served basis.

The table space is $20 flat fee for a table. Brown said this is “a great opportunity” for local artisans, crafters and collector’s to show products and items. To make a donation or inquire about the event please email vfwpost3413@ gmail.com.