A CHAPEL FOR VETERANS HOME

Over the years the American Legion Post in Cape Girardeau has sponsored many good causes. Most recently, the Legion raised money to convert a little-used library room into a free-standing chapel at Cape Girardeau's Missouri Veterans Home.

Church services had been held in the Veterans Home cafeteria, which wasn't really conducive to religious ceremonies. And families didn't have a place to go to grieve or make funeral plans after a resident of the home died. Three American Legion members, John Ferguson, John Yallally and Herb Nance, decided a chapel was needed.

Unfortunately, the Missouri Veterans Commission said there was no money available for the project. But the commission did OK converting the library to a chapel provided the American Legion raised the money.

The Legion's 14th District last May began raising the money. By December all the remodeling was done and paid for as the first set of stained-glass windows were installed. A second set of windows are being designed and the Legion hopes to raise an additional $6,000 to finish the project.

The staff at the Veterans Home dedicates itself to meeting the physical and emotional needs of the veterans who live there. Now, thanks to the vision of a handful of Legion members and the organization's commitment to see the project through, the Veterans Home has a facility that better accommodates the residents' spiritual needs as well.