The Manteca Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6311 has a home at last.
The post — formed over 80 years ago — got the keys last week to the new 3,600-square-foot Moffat Community. The $1.3 million structure located next to the storm retention basin just down a ways from the transit center was built with bonus bucks fees for sewer certainty collected on new homes.
Jimmie Connors Post Commander Carlon Perry noted the post is now working on furnishing the structure and obtaining a contractor for food service for the public and post. They are referring to it as the Manteca Veterans Center.
The next big project, though, is to put in place the plaza honoring veterans
Some 500 bricks have been sold so far at $100 each. There is space left for about 200 bricks.
“It’s been amazing,” Perry said of the community stepping forward to purchase bricks. The funds are going toward furnishings and other expenses.
Some have bought as many as 21 bricks. A former Manteca Police officer now with the Stockton Police, as an example, purchased 21 bricks that are each being inscribed with one name of the 21 men he served with in his unit that did not return from Vietnam. Others are honoring relatives or friends that served. Some simply say “thanks” to veterans with the name of the donor noted.
The Veterans Honor Plaza will be located along the sidewalk and the north end of the building. The bricks will be placed around a flag pole that will have emblems of the branches of the military at its base.
Perry hopes to work with the city to relocate the veterans’ memorial plaques of the fallen on the flag pole plaza outside the Manteca Library to the Moffat site.
Perry noted there are even veterans who aren’t aware that the plaques are there given its low-key location.
For brick donations or to simply help the effort you can reach Adjutant Dave Bricker by either emailing bricker20@comcast.net or calling 456.7299.
Post Perry can be contacted by emailing carlon.perry@gmail.com or calling 275.0410.
The VFW is a non-profit organization that meets IRS requirements for donations to be tax deductible.
Perry is hopeful the plaza work will be done in time for the dedication of the building on Veterans Day, Nov. 11.
The VFW has entered into a long-term lease. In exchange for an annual dollar payment to use the facility as the new post home, the VFW when they aren’t using the building will operate it as a community center renting it to groups and families for events.
The VFW will have the Manteca Veterans Center open initially weekdays from 9 a.m. to noon with plans for Saturday and Sunday hours pending.
A roast of Mayor Steve DeBrum will help the post cover the $2,500 plus cost for insurance, utilities, and other expenses to maintain and operate the new Moffat Community Center as they are required to do under the terms of the lease with the city.
There are just over 140 tickets left to the Thursday, Oct. 29, event at the Manteca Senior Center that can accommodate 255 people. The $25 ticket includes a dinner of cordon blue and tri-tip with the fixings. Tickets are available through Chuck Crutchfield at 823.6532, Jim Barber at 925.413.4124, or Perry at 275.0410.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
