Team Depot Captain Cedrick Mgwaba (right) attaches one of the new doors at the Edwardsburg VFW. (Leader photo/SCOTT NOVAK)

Thanks to a grant from the Home Depot, the Edwardsburg Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2284 is getting a facelift.

According to Post Commander Bill Constant, with the help of Home Depot, they were able to replace doors and fencing in the first of what he hopes will be two phases of rehabilitation.

“Our fences were falling down and the men’s auxiliary started out by offering some money to replace some of the worst sections because it was going to cost quite a bit,” he said. “We have a lot of events coming up for our troops overseas at Christmas time and it costs quite a bit of money, plus the VA in Battle Creek, we have adopted building 39. So at Christmas time we have all this money coming out, so we can’t do everything.

“At a district meeting, I found out that a couple of the posts had received grants from Home Depot. I asked them how to get a grant and they instructed me how to do it. So I got on line and found it on there and started the process of filling out the paper work.”

While Constant was busy filling out the forms, an employee at Home Depot in Mishawaka, Ind., and Team Depot captain Cedrick Mgwaba drove by the post and noticed it was in need of some assistance.

“He had never noticed the VFW here before, so he stopped in and talked to one of the bartenders. He got a little more information about our post and it probably helped us get this grant,” Constant said. “This is just one of the steps. As you can see, the fence was just falling down and it wasn’t safe for people to come in here. We have swing sets and stuff for the kids to play on, so it just wasn’t safe.”

Constant finished up the paper work and had people come in and give an estimate of what it would cost to replace everything.

“We did get the grant and this phase here we got a grant for $6,900 to put up a new fence, some new doors and some ceiling tiles and things that needed to be done,” Constant said. “We are hoping to get another grant next year for possibly the furnace in that back and air conditioning in there. It’s a big help and it leaves that extra money we need to take care of our veterans and our troops.”

Constant said it took approximately six months from his application for the grant to receiving the funding.