VNVLV MC Rebuild LZ Psycho PCOLA FL
Donation protected
On the evening of February 25th the Pensacola, Florida chapter of the Vietnam Vets Legacy Vets Motorcycle Club suffered the complete and total loss of their Club House. It appears as though an electrical fire is the culprit. Please watch this short video
Saturday the 25th was a day of family and celebration as the Chapter celebrated Mardi Gras with a traditional crawfish boil, live music and Brotherhood. The party wrapped up around 8:30 and the Clubhouse was double checked and locked up. A few hours later a member returned and found the house engulfed in flames. The fire had apparently begun behind our stove and quickly spread and destroyed everything inside. Fire investigators were quick to discover the origin and most likely cause as electrical. Word slowly filtered out to the members who began gathering early in the morning to survey the devastation. With each new arrival the scene became more and more surreal. It was impossible. Everything gone. All the memories, the artifacts. The faces and photos of our past members, family and Brothers. Yes we lost a significant amount of treasure in the way of chapter property, tables, chairs, glasses, desks, files, stocks of t-shirts, etc. But that was nothing compared to the shock and sadness on the faces of the men who had built the house as they surveyed the damage. Each walking quietly in then out of the gapping holes where walls once stood. Each poked at the piles of rubble in hopes of finding some small momento, some item they could hold onto. The heavy odor of wet burned wood emphasized the harsh reality of our situation.
The Vietnam Vets Legacy Vets Motorcycle Club is comprised of Veterans of the Vietnam War and the many conflicts since it's end. The members are bound together by their love of country and their commitmment to all Veterans being honored, respeced and properly cared for on their return from defending us and our way of life. Our two prime missions are to ensure a continued search and accounting for our nations POW's & MIA's. Recently we founded "Operation Zero", an initiative to raise awareness and education aimed at eliminating Veteran Suicide.
The Pensacola chapter was formed in 1992 and is responsible for starting the Run to the Wall South 22 years ago. The Run to the Wall South is a Memorial Day tradition and draws hundreds of patriotic motorcycle enthusisasts from across the southeast. It is also just one of many community events we support and donate our time and energy to throughout the year.
The Landing Zone (LZ) was more than a clubhouse or glorified "ManCave". It was a sanctuary, It was a "no judement zone". A place where we could gather surrounded by Brothers and Sisters who let us feel safe, loved and understood. A place for us to relax yes, but also a place for us to gather and plan events like our annual Memorial Day Run to the Wall South. Most importantly our house was a house where we remembered our Brothers and held onto small bits and pieces of our history and their memory.
Now we are shaken and in need of help. We have only a fraction of the money needed to replace JUST our structure. We are completely self funded and whatever monies we have raised at past events has gone or been earmarked to support other local Veteran causes. We maintain only a small amount of funds in reserve. We rebuilt / built the "LZ" completly ourselves, each of us giving wha we could to the effort from roofing to septic. The process began in 2004 and took years of saving & searching, and actual blood, sweat and tears to complete. Now we must demolish and remove the remains of our dreams.
Then what? We find the resources. We rebuild.
We are sourcing Metal Buildings and would like to replace our main structure with about a 30 by 40 building. Estimated cost for the building is $10, 000. A slab will be about $2500. We will need basic Electrical & lighting and a new air handler unit, ($2500). That and folding chairs put us back in business. Like all good houses it will aquire its own personality and its flavor as the years pass. There will be many new memories and momentos.
We would like to be back on line before Memorial Day weekend so we can again host the after run Bar-B-Que & Party at LZ Psycho. If we are to make that goal we need the funds by end of March early April to have a chance at hitting the deadline of May 28th.
Many have already generously volunteered to assist with the construction. Including a local contractor who has stepped up to help get us permitted, built and legal. We just need you!!
On behalf of the Brothers of Vietnam Vets Legacy Vets Motorcycle Club, P (Psycho) chapter, Pensacola Florida, Thank you for anything you can do to help us rebuild
For Psycho Chapter,
Kevin "Kahuna" Freeland
Saturday the 25th was a day of family and celebration as the Chapter celebrated Mardi Gras with a traditional crawfish boil, live music and Brotherhood. The party wrapped up around 8:30 and the Clubhouse was double checked and locked up. A few hours later a member returned and found the house engulfed in flames. The fire had apparently begun behind our stove and quickly spread and destroyed everything inside. Fire investigators were quick to discover the origin and most likely cause as electrical. Word slowly filtered out to the members who began gathering early in the morning to survey the devastation. With each new arrival the scene became more and more surreal. It was impossible. Everything gone. All the memories, the artifacts. The faces and photos of our past members, family and Brothers. Yes we lost a significant amount of treasure in the way of chapter property, tables, chairs, glasses, desks, files, stocks of t-shirts, etc. But that was nothing compared to the shock and sadness on the faces of the men who had built the house as they surveyed the damage. Each walking quietly in then out of the gapping holes where walls once stood. Each poked at the piles of rubble in hopes of finding some small momento, some item they could hold onto. The heavy odor of wet burned wood emphasized the harsh reality of our situation.
The Vietnam Vets Legacy Vets Motorcycle Club is comprised of Veterans of the Vietnam War and the many conflicts since it's end. The members are bound together by their love of country and their commitmment to all Veterans being honored, respeced and properly cared for on their return from defending us and our way of life. Our two prime missions are to ensure a continued search and accounting for our nations POW's & MIA's. Recently we founded "Operation Zero", an initiative to raise awareness and education aimed at eliminating Veteran Suicide.
The Pensacola chapter was formed in 1992 and is responsible for starting the Run to the Wall South 22 years ago. The Run to the Wall South is a Memorial Day tradition and draws hundreds of patriotic motorcycle enthusisasts from across the southeast. It is also just one of many community events we support and donate our time and energy to throughout the year.
The Landing Zone (LZ) was more than a clubhouse or glorified "ManCave". It was a sanctuary, It was a "no judement zone". A place where we could gather surrounded by Brothers and Sisters who let us feel safe, loved and understood. A place for us to relax yes, but also a place for us to gather and plan events like our annual Memorial Day Run to the Wall South. Most importantly our house was a house where we remembered our Brothers and held onto small bits and pieces of our history and their memory.
Now we are shaken and in need of help. We have only a fraction of the money needed to replace JUST our structure. We are completely self funded and whatever monies we have raised at past events has gone or been earmarked to support other local Veteran causes. We maintain only a small amount of funds in reserve. We rebuilt / built the "LZ" completly ourselves, each of us giving wha we could to the effort from roofing to septic. The process began in 2004 and took years of saving & searching, and actual blood, sweat and tears to complete. Now we must demolish and remove the remains of our dreams.
Then what? We find the resources. We rebuild.
We are sourcing Metal Buildings and would like to replace our main structure with about a 30 by 40 building. Estimated cost for the building is $10, 000. A slab will be about $2500. We will need basic Electrical & lighting and a new air handler unit, ($2500). That and folding chairs put us back in business. Like all good houses it will aquire its own personality and its flavor as the years pass. There will be many new memories and momentos.
We would like to be back on line before Memorial Day weekend so we can again host the after run Bar-B-Que & Party at LZ Psycho. If we are to make that goal we need the funds by end of March early April to have a chance at hitting the deadline of May 28th.
Many have already generously volunteered to assist with the construction. Including a local contractor who has stepped up to help get us permitted, built and legal. We just need you!!
On behalf of the Brothers of Vietnam Vets Legacy Vets Motorcycle Club, P (Psycho) chapter, Pensacola Florida, Thank you for anything you can do to help us rebuild
For Psycho Chapter,
Kevin "Kahuna" Freeland
Organizer and beneficiary
Kevin Freeland
Organizer
Pensacola, FL
James Brown
Beneficiary
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