Mission Accomplished

For decades, Glenville’s active Veterans of Foreign Wars Jimmy Dillard Post 10685 gathered for a regular Friday happy hour during the warmer months. Their building on Hwy 107 had a large meeting space with a commercial kitchen, but the weekly party was in the tiny lounge. For Glenville, the return of the VFW’s Friday festivities each year marked the beginning of a new season, with many of the old friends returning from their winter homes. Over the years, the happy reunion was increasingly bittersweet as members recognized those who had passed away and saw their numbers decline. After all, they had served in a war that ended more than 80 years ago.

Today, fewer than 45,000 World War II veterans remain, most in their late nineties.  In North Carolina, there are between 1,500 and 2,000 of these veterans, most of whom are over 90 years old. The Greatest Generation found camaraderie at VFW Posts across the country with those who had also served and sacrificed. The younger Korean and Vietnam War veterans who had joined over the years are all senior citizens as well, and are increasingly losing their battle with time.

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The stringent rules governing VFW posts have led many to close or consolidate with another nearby post to keep their membership within guidelines. In Glenville, it became necessary for members to join the Franklin group. It was an emotional decision for everyone, complicated by the legalities of transferring ownership of the building and repurposing it altogether. When the Post lost its charter a few years ago, the building was set to become property of the NC State VFW, with the local group’s long financial commitment and legacy in Glenville disappearing altogether. Their large meeting space with a commercial kitchen was a multi-purpose facility that the neighborhood relied on.

A stone’s throw south, Glenville’s Community Development Club (GCDC) managed a small thrift store and community center in the former fire department with a small budget. A 501(c)(3) since 2007, they were happy to pull in $20,000 annually and host occasional potluck dinners in the community center upstairs. The charity’s president, Pastor Ralph Campbell, recognized an opportunity to build on his organization and create a permanent space for veterans to meet. He approached the VFW about donating its building to the GCDC. The small lounge would be renovated and reserved as a Veterans Club in perpetuity. The rest of the building would be renovated as well, providing Glenville with a facility large enough for community meetings, meals and events, private party rentals, and even a regular bingo night.

The GCDC’s Vice President, Barbara Kups, led a small army of dedicated volunteers, and they redoubled their efforts. With the thrift store’s upstairs opening up as retail space, they began accepting larger donations, such as furniture. When the new community center renovations were complete, they capitalized on the many Christmas decorations donated each year by creating a separate venue at the new Glenville Community Center for holiday sales beginning each October.

Year after year, the GCDC's revenues grew, outpacing those of any other community center in Western North Carolina. Today, annual revenues at the thrift store exceed $150,000, with the funds raised reinvested in the Glenville area again and again.

Once the new building was acquired, the GCDC began six-figure renovations with input from several local interior designers. The commercial kitchen now has the feel of a residential kitchen. A commercial stainless steel sink is the only remnant that board members and volunteers insisted on keeping. After all, they had plans for some big celebrations like monthly community meals with live music sponsored entirely by them. They also planned to sponsor a monthly potluck, providing the meat dishes and neighbors contributing homemade side dishes. Bingo on Thursday nights, with $5 meals of hamburgers and hot dogs, added to the group’s coffers. The renovated space is now a popular venue that locals can reserve for special celebrations of all kinds at affordable prices. They also make the space available free of charge for any type of meeting that benefits or informs the community.

GCDC also invests in local youth by awarding three scholarships annually to deserving graduates of Blue Ridge School and Summit Charter School for college or trade schools. Their board often steps in to help families in crisis with money for medical expenses, utilities, and groceries. When a family is wiped out by fire, a trip to the thrift store provides clothing and household items needed to start over. On the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau, they serve as a go-to for emergency funding that has proven invaluable in recent years. As a group, GCDC can respond quickly to deserving people and causes. Pastor Ralph is encouraging the County Commission to use the space for occasional meetings at the south end of the county to better understand the needs of their constituents here.

But perhaps the most endearing aspect of the GCDC’s efforts is the renovation of the cozy little Veterans’ Lounge. The military helmets and caps donated over the years are now displayed on a shelf that runs around the room. Other treasures like flags and a uniform keep the feel of the old lounge, but new countertops, cabinets, lights, tables, and chairs have brightened the space. Rules for who can attend may be more relaxed, but with the common theme of love, respect, and admiration for all veterans guiding its future.

The last surviving member of VFW Post 10685, who served in WWII, is Jim Ryan. A plaque in the new lounge reminds us that he also served as the Post’s Commander from 1991 until 2007. Today, he is 97 years old, and though his memory sometimes fails him, he well remembers driving himself to the Friday night gatherings at his old post and toasting those who shared a history with him. Preserving the space is a proud “Mission Accomplished” for the GCDC and its volunteers who step up for their community.