Letters: 1/16/2015

Make Tobys Dream a reality

This is an open letter to everyone in the Lakes Region area who is a friend and supporter of the Windham veterans and our past president Toby Pennels.

While president of the Windham Veterans Association from June of 2012 until his death in September 2014, Tobys Dream plan was to pave the Windham Veteran Center parking lot and access road to connect with the parking lot pavement behind the Windham Mall as a way to move the Windham Veteran Center into a better position.

One of Tobys first acts for improvements of the center as a public rental hall in order to increase our rental income, was to establish an account within our WVA budget labeled Paving. We have been making deposits in this account when able and the balance today is $4,168. The goal to complete this project is $50,000.

The WVA has dedicated this fundraising project in honor and memory of Toby and we have obtained town approval to rename the paved entrance drive starting at the mall pavement, Toby Pennels Veterans Memorial Drive.

The WVA feels sure there are lots of people who will want to donate to this project to ensure Tobys name will forever be remembered in connection with his beloved veterans center as people drive in and out of our driveway. We truly believe a veteran has not really died as long as his name continues to be said everlasting. In case we are fortunate enough to receive more money than is needed specifically for the paving, we hereby promise every penny received for this project will be used to further perpetuate Tobys name.

For example, if received funds allow us to, we would like to expand and enhance the entrance to our drive with more robust and elaborate granite pillars and signage. Also, on the right side of the drive, going in, people have suggested a row of appropriately spaced evergreen trees to cover the unsightly brush. Also, on the left side of the drive, going in, people have suggested a paved sidewalk for people who often walk our driveway with their dogs.

The expected long-range outcome of this successful project will be a significant increase in rental income, Tobys dream, which will allow the WVA to make significant improvements and upgrades on the inside/outside of the building and grounds, thereby creating additional rentals which will therein make the WVC financially self-sustaining.

For the record, all of WVA income is spent on the maintenance and betterment of the building and grounds. There is not ever even one penny paid to any veteran for all the hundreds of hours of volunteer work they do.

The community, the people of the Greater Windham area, have been physically and financially involved and supportive of the successful building of the building in 1999 and also in the creation and town dedication of Veterans Memorial Park in 2005 and Memorial Gardens in 2006. For those that helped us financially in the past, we thank you. We could not have what we have today without your help. However, in order to maintain and sustain what we have today, we need to find a way to increase our rental income. We believe in Tobys business skills and his decision to choose paving as the answer to our financial income problems.

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Letters: 1/16/2015