But, the Legion is not going out of business
By John Tredrea, Staff Writer
The American Legion is staying in Hopewell Valley. Voices on a grapevine or two may be saying otherwise, but Post 339 will remain.
However, it is true that Post 339 is putting up for sale its 7.9 acres of land and 3,300-square-foot building at 44 Van Dyke Road in eastern Hopewell Township.
”We’re not going out of business,” said Jim Hall, a Post 339 member for 62 years and a former post commander. “We fully expect to keep the post in order and continue helping out the veterans of Hopewell Valley. We plan to rent someplace for our meetings.”
Mr. Hall, who lives on Center Street in Hopewell Borough, was at the Legion Hall on Sept. 11 with former commanders, Dave Lowe, Joseph Kianka and Warren C. Lewis. All are members of the Post 339 committee involved with the effort to sell the property, as are Dave Bregenzer, another former commander, and Sal Torre, today’s commander.
”Our membership, which is 198 right now, has stayed the same for a number of years,” Mr. Hall said. “Our members are getting older. We have a campus atmosphere here, with a lot of work needing to be routinely done on the building and grounds. The fellows are just getting too old to do it. And younger veterans pretty much just don’t join the American Legion anymore.”
Mr. Lewis said putting the property up for sale “is kind of sad. But we have to face reality.”
At its zenith, Post 339 had about 400 members.
”We’ve lost people and now have six or seven older fellows trying to maintain the place,” said Mr. Lowe. “Hiring someone to do the work is not a cost we can handle.”
Mr. Hall said the post has not made a final decision on what the advertised price sought for the property will be.
”It’ll be around a million dollars,” he said.
The land is off the western side of Van Dyke Road, which runs north from Route 654 to Route 518. The building on the property was erected in 1964. The land is zoned Valley Resource Conservation, which is a residential zone.
Mr. Hall said that, after the building is sold, Post 339 plans to continue its present level of involvement and support of all its various activities. Many of those are for young people, including Boys and Girls State, coloring contests, scholarships for Central High graduating seniors, and recreation. Over the years, the post has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on these and other projects.
”We contribute to the Memorial Day Parade every year and maintain American flags on Broad Street in Hopewell Borough,” Mr. Hall said. “We help veterans with paperwork and pensions.”
Mr. Lewis, who noted that the Legion paid off its mortgage on the Van Dyke Road in 11 years — back in 1975 — said, “We had good times here along with a lot of hard work. Parties, dances, Easter egg hunts for the kids.”
Mr. Hall said Post 339 sold its meeting hall in Hopewell Borough — a converted barn (on Mercer Street) — before moving into the building and property the Legion has used for 44 years.
”It took a lot of effort to get here,” he said. “All kinds of fundraisers and fund drives — carnivals, and other things.”
As far back as the Mercer Street days, the women of Hopewell Valley American Legion Auxiliary Unit 339 helped the men of the post both financially and by working with them on projects, such as the summer carnivals and later on, the popular roast beef dinners. Auxiliary members also spent months preparing for the Christmas bazaar, which was held annually for many years at the Van Dyke Road facility.
”It’s pretty difficult to accept having to leave this place,” said Mr. Kianka. “But the decision had to be made. The important thing is that the Legion will still be here and will continue what it’s been doing.”
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