PLEASE HELP US FINISH OUR POST 179 HOME

American Legion Post 179, located in West Ashley at 1748 Ashley Hall Rd, Charleston, SC, needs your tax-deductible support now more than ever.

In 2020, we began a much-needed, major renovation. Then COVID hit and stopped all production. All too common is what happened next. Supply chain issues, labor shortages, and lumber cost increases caused the project to halt. Two years later, the partially completed project sits unused, waiting for funds to complete it.

Our original budget for this major renovation was $600,000.00, we have so far spent $637,000.00, to continue this effort and to make this a true success, we need the support of our Community and State and Nation in the form of donations. We have an ambitious, yet with your support achievable, the goal of raising $100,000.00!

We do so many wonderful things within our community but cannot continue without a permanent site. An American Legion Post site is used to conduct routine meetings and fundraising events to support things like the following:

- Assist needy and disabled Veterans, their widows and/or orphans

- Provide care and assistance to hospitalized Veterans

- Sponsor and participate in patriotic activities

- Organize fundraisers for local charities or groups for underprivileged children

Perhaps most of all, the Legion gives members and their families a place to gather and reflect on those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms that we all enjoy today. Our Veterans and members need us more than ever and we are depending on you to make this happen. Please donate anything you can and help us reach our goal!

The American Legion Post 179 is a 501(c)(19) charity Veteran organization, so you have the benefit of deducting your charitable contributions on your federal income tax returns.

Please spread the word near and far so we can continue to serve our community and our members out of the comforts of our own American Legion. Thank you so much!

Here are the reasons we are now asking for donations with our goal of $150,000.00:

1. We planned for a concrete slab foundation since we were not considered to be in a flood zone; however, due to unforeseen changes within the county limits, we are now in a flood zone. Construction change required: 6ft above ground level, which increased our planned costs for this by $42,000.

2. All of the kitchen, bar and bar equipment has been purchased by the membership, and we have the granite top for the bar and the bathroom sinks and materials for the entire flooring (kitchen floor and bar floor already on the site).

3. The county required us to purchase a 1000-pound grease trap. Every attempt to remove this requirement failed so once again we were forced to pay $8,200 plus installation labor with an overall cost of an additional $10,000.

4. The Legion purchased a used hood system for the kitchen two years ago and those costs totaled $19,000. The county inspector then required that the hood be insulated with another cost increase of $2,000.

5. Another recent change by the county was that we are required to have a permanent steel ladder with a cage for the hood system. The hood system installers stated that the pitch of our roof doesn’t require it but the county made that decision for us. Additional cost for ladder and cage: $10,000.

6. And last but not least, 95% of the building is wood. Due to unforeseen shortages, COVID, and inflation, the cost of the materials has jumped 100-140%. This is where most of our budget was consumed but not planned.

Please spread the word near and far so we can meet our goal and continue to serve our community and our members out of the comforts of our own American Legion Home.

A detailed estimate of what is needed to complete the project may be made available upon request

Thank you so much for your generosity.

Donations may be made on this platform or by mail at:

American Legion Post 179

PO Box 80325

Charleston, SC 29416-0325

Donations may also be made at our website: www.post179.com

For God and Country,

John Coy

Commander, American Legion Post 179