OPEN HOUSE TODAY FOR CHAPEL AT MISSOURI VETERANS HOME

Veterans at the Missouri Veterans Home have a place to worship thanks to a fund-raising effort by the American Legion Post. But the project is only half done.

An opening ceremony for the new chapel will be held today at 10 a.m. at the home. The ceremony also kicks off the second phase of fund raising to pay for two additional stained-glass windows.

"When the Veterans Home was built, there was no facility to meet the spiritual needs of the veterans," said Charles Woodford, who is coordinating the fund drive.

Three American Legion members, John Ferguson, John Yallally and Herb Nance, decided a chapel was needed.

Church services had been held in the cafeteria, which was not conducive to religious ceremonies. In addition, families had nowhere to go after a veteran died to grieve or make funeral plans.

The American Legion members worked for about a year trying to convince the Missouri Veterans Commission that a free-standing chapel or an annex should be built. The commission concluded that money wasn't available; however, it said an under-used library room could be converted to a chapel if the legion would pick up the tab.

The 14th District of the American Legion started raising money last May. In December the first set of stained-glass windows were installed and all the remodeling work was completed and paid in full.

The second set of windows is in the design phase, Woodford said. The windows will depict the state seal of Missouri, the American Legion symbol and logos from each of the four branches of military service.

"We are doing this on a pay-as-you-go basis," Woodford said.

More than $1,000 already has been raised. About $6,000 more is needed to finish the project.