storyhill.net, Sept. 11, 2006

Soldiers Home: Chapel restoration plan advances

Sept. 11 -- The Soldiers Home Foundation has raised nearly $200,000 to restore the 1889 Chapel on the Veteran Administration grounds.

"Since July 2005, we have patched holes and installed a donated furnace to hold off continued deterioration," Foundation President Kristin Gilpatrick wrote in a letter to donors.

The Soldiers Home and VA grounds are southwest and west of Story Hill.

The foundation's goal is to raise $2.5 million by June so that the Chapel can be restored by the end of 2008.

The foundation hired Kubala Washatko Architects, Inc., of Cedarburg, in April to help deveop a two-phase restoration and architectural design.

The non-profit organization also is developing a business plan for the restoration and for using the chapel for veterans' funerals, VA and visiting chaplain use, community and multi-denominational use, and historic displays.

A community listening session to discuss general plans for the building will be held at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, on the Chapel lawn, just before the 6:30 p.m. Star Spangled Concert. The concert also will be held on the lawn, which is north of the VA Medical Center, 5000 W. National Ave., and just west of Miller Park.

The concert will feature the Festival City Barbershop Choir, the Master Singers of Milwaukee, and others performing the Star Spangled Banner and other patriotic tunes. A display of early American flags is also planned.