Last year the Hughes-Pittinger American Legion Post 26, thanks to the creative minds of Northwest College art students, brightened downtown Powell with a massive patriotic mural. You can’t miss it in all its glory. But what you can’t see is what’s going on inside the vibrant community center.

Last week volunteers worked to install new trim, one of the final tasks of the current round of plans in renovating the hall. The facility is home to multiple meetings, bingo nights, dances and a receiving room for massive amounts of commodities distributed to area families in need.

Prior to refurbishing the interior, the hall may have been filled with life, but the surroundings were dated and had grown dingy. They wanted to brighten up the room and add functionality. Post commander Russell Stafford asked fellow field artillery officer and post member Gregg Bessler to schedule workers and round up materials after local donors and individuals donated enough money and volunteers signed up to redo the roof and completely revamp the hall.

As the owner of Wyofoam Insulation, Bessler has contacts with those in the construction trade and experience with scheduling major projects.

“I know a lot of people willing to help,” Bessler said during a break in the action.

The transformation is close to being done; brand new walls replace decades old paneling, a new lighting system makes the lighting consistent throughout the room and a new 85-inch digital monitor and speaker system has been mounted for presentations and special events.

They also added a new Wi-Fi booster and black lights “for special occasions,” Stafford said.

“We need to keep moving forward,” he said. “We have flooring, bathrooms and a digital sign for out front yet to do.”

Other companies in the business have provided support and volunteer labor for the project, including Yellowstone Electric, Brandon Construction, Wyo Lux Metals and DSE Fireworks, to mention a few.

There is still work to be done. Yet, the final tasks to finish the hall will have to wait until they can raise more money. The scratched and fading flooring is in need of replacement, and they also need to renovate restrooms before they can end the push to prepare the facility for the next generation.

“There were a lot of unexpected donations, too,” Bessler said.

The current project was expected to take three-four months, but with the help of Bessler and dedicated volunteers like Stephen Burtoft, Bud Schrickling and John Frasier, the project was nearing completion within three weeks, Stafford said.

The kitchen was renovated in 2000 and exterior lighting and cameras were added last year after the theft of more than $1,000 worth of Post 26 Boy Scout Christmas trees in 2021.

Patrons didn’t let the theft keep the Scouts from attending the training for which the profits would have funded. Many showed up “to buy invisible trees” after hearing about the theft, said Troop 26 Scoutmaster Donny Peterson at the time.

Looking back at 2022, Post 26 volunteer veterans have eagerly assisted many families in the Big Horn Basin with services from commodities distribution to scholarships.

The post has about 180 members, all of whom pay annual dues. Each member pays $50 per year, of which only $11 stays with the post.

What’s amazing is how far Post officials can make those funds stretch.

The revenue not only keeps the lights on, it affords offering scholarships to local students amounting to about $1,800.

Scholarship recipient Augusta Larsen was instrumental in the creation of the massive mural, continuing the work after the school year ended and through completion due to weather delays.

How does the Post make up for the difference between revenue and expenditures? “Private donors continue to step up in a big way,” Stafford said. “It may be a veteran’s organization, but we’re here to help the entire community.”

The Post will have a grand opening to show off their renovations and thank volunteers and donors on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17. Immediately following the open house, the Post will celebrate the 104th anniversary of the American Legion.

The American Legion was conceived by practically the entire personnel of the army, navy and marine corps, according to George Seay Wheat, in his book, “The Birth of the Legion.”

One hundred and four years ago, a committed group of World War I veterans from the United States met in Paris, France with a broad vision to create the organization. Since its inception in 1919, the duty, obligation and national feeling desired by the founders of the American Legion still is alive and well, Stafford said. “It can be found at more than 12,000 American Legion posts around the globe.”