AMVETS Post 1996 Turns In Charter

By Robert Rizzuto rrizzuto@post-journal.com
The American Veterans members of the Thomas G. Stone Post 1996, located at 3155 Fluvanna Ave., Jamestown, voted to disband, according to a statement issued by former Post Commander Ron Williams.

‘‘The bank has started foreclosure proceeding and holds a loan on all our equipment,’’ he said. ‘‘Therefore we are without any assets and cannot pay any outstanding obligations.’’

Williams also said the corporation is being dissolved, and the post no longer exists.

According to the group’s Web site, total debt is in excess of $500,000, with the majority of it attributed to the group’s most recent home.

The downfall of AMVETS Post 1996 seemingly began as the group moved into their latest location, in the old Dynasty restaurant. The building suffered a fire years ago, and sat relatively untouched, until the AMVETS members came along.

They rebuilt the building and remodeled the interior, mostly with volunteer labor and materials sold by local vendors, some of which are still owed, according to Jerry Johnson, former house committee chairman of the post.

The post received a foreclosure notice from Five Star Bank in late April, prompting the officers to call an emergency meeting. Approximately 50 members showed up, according to the group’s Web site, and the decision was made to remain closed and sell the building.

Upon the advice of AMVETS’ Department Commander, it was recommended that all members of the post be notified and the group hold another meeting on whether or not to turn in the charter.

That meeting was held and members decided to turn in the charter and call it a day.

Paul Fruehauf, interim director of veterans services for Chautauqua County, said that Post 1996 was facing the same problem all other service organizations in the area are struggling with.

‘‘It has a lot to do with the graying of the membership,’’ he said. ‘‘The younger veterans have different interests than these groups, and not many of them are joining.’’

He explained that in order for a service-based veterans group to flourish, it needs new members to not only join, but participate.

In a previous interview with The Post Journal, Johnson said that the membership participation was a problem at the post.

He said that members chose to visit the area casinos instead of the post, because they offer larger jackpots and have no restriction on smoking within the facilities. He said that trend killed their bell-jar sales.

‘‘When you have 200 tickets to sell, which would make a dent in the debt, and you only sell 41, that’s not going to do it,’’ Johnson said. ‘‘That was how we used to pay our bills.’’

In addition to issues with membership participation, Johnson said that there was a serious amount of outstanding bills owed to the post, which were never paid.

The monument dedicated to Army Sgt. J.C. Matteson and his fellow soldiers, who were killed in action in Iraq in November 2004, has been turned over to the Town of Busti.

In relation to the debt the post holds, Johnson previously said that he felt bad about not being able to pay local vendors the money owed to them.

Williams echoed Johnson’s sentiments in his statement.

‘‘Unfortunately due to circumstances beyond our control, the post will cease to exist,’’ he said. ‘‘AMVETS is very sorry that we will not be able to pay any of the outstanding debt.’’

According to its Web site, both AMVETS Post 50 in Sugar Grove, Pa and AMVETS Post 726 in Jamestown are honoring the membership of Post 1996.