Lakewood Ranch VFW post needs new home

It's a Veterans of Foreign Wars post that has donated between $10,000 and $15,000 annually to the East County community since it was formed in 2006.

And now VFW Post 12055 is homeless.

The post received notice the American Red Cross building at 10311 Malachite Drive in Lakewood Ranch was being sold. The American Red Cross had allowed VFW Post 12055 to use a meeting room in its building once a month, plus gave it additional space for storage along with a wall to hang its plaques and memorials.

On March 1, the arrangement ends.

"It had worked out well over the years, but now they are selling it," said George Johnston, the former post commander and the current quartermaster. "So we need a place to meet. It would be nice if we could find a place we could call home."

Post 12055 has 136 members who are veterans and military service members who have served in a war, campaign or expedition on foreign soil or in hostile waters. The group advocates on behalf of all veterans.

What this post doesn't do is spend much time sitting at the bar.

"That's a major distinguishing factor for us," said Johnston, who was a former missile technician for the Navy said. "People think of the VFW and they think of a dark, dingy bar. We're not like that. We don't have a bar and we don't want one. One hundred percent of our energy goes into helping veterans."

Dave Daily, a past commander for the post and a first sergeant when he received his honorable discharge from the Army, said the post has close relationships with veterans clinics which alert them to those in need.

Daily said the post often helps a veteran who has a need for a wheelchair or a scooter, but benefits don't cover either. The post just was involved in a major roofing project for a veteran who didn't have the funds. They helped a veteran who was living in the basement of an abandoned house. They found him a mattress and bedding. Sometimes it just means filling up a tank with gas.

"We try to fill those voids," Daily said.

In a perfect world, Johnston said, the post would be able to use a room that could handle about 30 members. They could also use a small storage area. The group, which also gives out $1,000 scholarships to students at Braden River and Lakewood Ranch high schools each year, has been meeting the third Wednesday of every month.

Anyone would like to help the post by donating space can contact Johnston at 753-0035.

Meanwhile, the Red Cross will be packing up as well.

Megarie van Sickel, the executive director of the Southeast Chapter of the American Red Cross, said the national office has been downsizing and the Lakewood Ranch building was deemed to be excess real estate.

"We need to be fiscally responsible," van Sickel said. "We have a huge facility in Sarasota County on (2001) Cantu Court. It has a large physical plant and is well-equipped to handle our five-county area."

Although the American Red Cross felt the Lakewood Ranch building was being under utilized, she said, "In no way are we downsizing any paid or volunteer staff."

The health and safety classes being held at the Lakewood Ranch building will continue through the end of March. The price of the building and when it will go on the market has yet to be released by the national office, van Sickel said. 

She also noted the sale of the Lakewood Ranch building was in no way responsible due to lack of donor dollars.