Polish Legion for American Veterans hall in McHenry has been rebuilt

McHENRY – Cliff Schmidt finally feels as if he has his home back.

Two years after a Mother’s Day fire ravaged the building, the Polish Legion of American Veterans Post 188 hall at 1304 Park St. in McHenry has been rebuilt and expanded. The process left members relieved to have a dedicated space again and empowered to know more than bricks and mortar held them together.

“Sometimes, it’s hard to maintain enthusiasm when you don’t have your own house,” said Schmidt, the post’s commander. “But the bottom line is, we made it a point to realize it’s the people, not the building, that make the post.”

The blaze that May 11 morning took firefighters 2½ hours to extinguish. It destroyed the roof over the back of the building and caused significant damage to the front.

Investigators determined that the fire started on the roof in an area where roofers were using a blow torch, said Mike Majerick, McHenry Township Fire Protection District battalion chief. Officially, the cause of the fire is undetermined.

Inside, the walls, furnishings and fixtures were charred black and water – damaged. Photos of the damage hang on the new, white walls inside the hall, below wood carvings brought in by new members and above tables and chairs purchased, in part, with donations.

Other veterans organizations opened their doors to members while the Polish Legion hall was uninhabitable. The VFW, America Legion and Moose Lodge, among others, allowed meetings and fundraisers that helped the post make its monthly goal to donate about $300 to TLS Veterans. The money goes toward the cost of a food truck that helps homeless veterans.

Even with members and others willing to help, the process of rebuilding the place the organization had occupied since 1982 wasn’t always easy, post Treasurer Bob Zriny said. The renovation took longer and cost more than expected. In the end, however, he said the struggles were worth it.

“The building is the nucleus of the organization,” Zriny said. “Everything comes out of the center hub, and the center hub is the building, and all the people come in it. It’s as simple as that.”

Members were able to salvage some of the building’s shell, which was about the only thing left after the blaze. About 2,500 bricks had to be scrubbed clean before they could be put back in place.

The building itself, now two stories instead of one, was funded by an undisclosed amount of insurance money and bank loans.

Perhaps members’ favorite new feature is the kitchen, which is about three times larger than the previous kitchen.

Cheryl Wildenhain, vice president of the post’s Ladies Auxiliary, spends about seven days a week in the hall’s kitchen. Like the other 300 or so members, she said it feels good to be home.

“It’s more than a job,” Wildenhain said. “It’s a lot deeper than that. It’s what we do. It’s what we stand for.”

Another unintended benefit of the new building has been the crowd it’s attracted, Schmidt said. As with veterans organizations throughout the country, the Polish legion has struggled to attract younger veterans and their families.

More Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have ventured inside because of the renovations. They stay, Schmidt said, when they learn more about the organization.

“I used to know everybody in here,” Schmidt said. “Now, I really like it when I see people in here that I don’t know.”