TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Members of VFW Post 10254 in Three Points are rolling up their sleeves to deconstruct their building after a fire destroyed the interior in early September.
"There was no definite decision on what the origin of the fire is. So it wasn't anything nefarious such as arson or a failure of a piece of our equipment," said Morgan McHose, an Army veteran and quartermaster for VFW Post 10254.
The sounds of hammers, saws and debris removal echo through the damaged building as veterans and volunteers work together in the recovery process.
They are staying positive and committed to bringing this community staple back to life.
McHose said the deconstruction phase should take at least two to three more weeks as crews remove walls, ceilings and equipment damaged by smoke and fire.
"It's gonna take a long time. We're taking down the walls, the ceilings, everything inside you can imagine. Including all the new improvements we've made in the last few years, which is really heartbreaking," McHose said. "However, we're gonna rebuild it better so we'll get through this."
While most items were wrecked, volunteers have been able to salvage some pieces, including glass plates.
Chuck Murdock has been a member of the VFW Post 10254 for about two years after serving 30 years in the Army.
He says the VFW is the hub of the community, so when he found out about the fire, he was dissapointed.
"So if you want to get together and socialize or just be around people in the community, not just veterans, but anybody in the community is welcome here," Murdock said. "So it's a great place to get together and have Taco Tuesdays and Fish Fridays or whatever is going on. There's always something going on, so it's really kind of builds community."
Murdock had no problem getting his hands dirty, saying it's important for him to help out.
"It's gonna take a lot to bring it back and I think this has been here for 50 years so we've gotta think long-term. So, we really need to do it right," Murdock said. "So I think every penny we can save by doing some of the work ourselves and working together is a good thing."
McHose hopes to have the facility operational again within six to nine months.
"We're resilient and we're stubborn, so yeah we're going to make it happen," McHose said. "And you know what, we'll come up with a better concept and we might even have more room to play with."
Insurance is covering most of the reconstruction costs, according to McHose.
The post is welcoming volunteers who want to help with the deconstruction efforts. He says they are usually at Post 10254 located at 10111 S. Sasabe Road Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to noon.
McHose says the support from the community has been amazing.
"We've had people mailing in donations throughout the state and out of state. We've had other VFW organizations that have heard about our plight, they've been sending money in. The American Legion has been a huge support as well," McHose said.
He says they've also received plenty of support from the local American Veterans (AMVETS).
"They've been doing fundraisers every couple of weeks for us at the AMVETS in Tucson Estates," McHose said. "They don't have to go out of their way to help us but they are kind of like a sister veteran organization right down Ajo, and I can't say enough. Very humbling to get all the support from local veterans."
McHose says these funds are not just going to the VFW, but also going right back to the community once they have their events up and running.
To find other ways to help, you can visit the VFW Post 10254 Facebook page.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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Help VFW Post in Three Points rebuild after fire
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Vanessa Gongora is KGUN 9's Westside reporter.. Vanessa fell in love with storytelling by growing up in sports. She was fascinated by how sports reporters go beyond the x's & o's to tell players' stories, and how sports bring people together, inspiring Vanessa to provide the same impact as a journalist. Share your story ideas and important issues with Vanessa by emailing vanessa.gongora@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
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