More donations needed for war chapel

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Thanks to a 2015 renovation, Van Wert County’s Military War Album Chapel provides a place where local residents can view photos of county residents who have served their country through military service. However, project organizers have been forced to seek additional donations to close the books on the renovation project, which cost more than anticipated.

The project, which was rededicated July 1, 2015, with Ohio Veterans Service Director Colonel Timothy Gorrell providing the keynote address, includes nearly 2,700 photos of county military veterans, some of who gave their lives in service to their country.

The idea for the Military War Album Chapel first originated in August 1944 when then-Sheriff Roy Shaffer collected approximately 1,000 photos of World War II veterans for display. Students at the Marsh Foundation constructed the current chapel building, located east of the Van Wert County Courthouse, that same year.

The chapel underwent a $10,000 renovation in 1978, following the rejection of a proposal to move the building to Memorial Park on West Main Street, adjacent to American Legion Post 178.

The renovation-expansion project dedicated last July dates to a plan developed by former county veterans service officer Keith Harman in 2003.

While the plan was not implemented then, for a number of reasons, Johns said Harman’s work was critical to getting the 2015 expansion and renovation project completed.

“Keith was really instrumental in making this happen,” Johns said.

By 2007, the chapel included 2,500 photos and had reached its capacity, with Johns saying additional photos of veterans had to wait for display until the 2015 project’s completion. Following the expansion last year, the chapel can now display up to 4,000 photos.

The chapel project included an addition to the rear of the chapel, which was constructed by local contractor Alexander & Bebout, while students at Vantage Career Center, with the help of volunteer Kenneth Stahl and National Door & Trim, built new frames to display veterans’ photos inside the chapel. Van Wert Glass installed glass fronts on the frames, while Gibby’s Photo worked with the photos, while volunteers Linda Stutz, Marissa Parsons, Julie Zinn, and Deb and Gary Ashbaugh sorted and alphabetized the photos and created a computer database of the pictures.

“With the renovation, we were able to expand the building to add more pictures, update lighting, and replace the old picture frames,” Johns said. “This is one of the biggest pieces of history in Van Wert County (and) we want to continue to add pictures to it every year.”

Cost of the project increased, though, with the need to re-side the entire chapel to main integrity of the building, while the additional expense of adding tempered safety glass to the photo frames also resulted in the project going over budget.

“We felt we needed to go to tempered glass as a safety move; it was really expensive,” Johns said.

The county veterans service officer thanked those who have already provided time or money to the project, but said the additional costs have resulted in the need for further donations to close the books on the project.

The veterans service officer said an additional $8,000 is needed to pay off the project, while adding that the War Album Chapel is unique to Van Wert.

“There is no other town around that has a chapel collection like this,” Johns said.

He added that those wanting to donate can do so by sending money to The Van Wert County Foundation, 138 E. Main St., Van Wert, OH 45891. Checks should include “Military Chapel Project” in the memo line to ensure the money goes toward the project.

Those with questions can call the Van Wert County Veterans Service Office at 419.238.9592 or visit the office, which is located in the basement of the courthouse. Johns said organizations interested in donating can call his office and schedule a presentation on the renovation process and the history of the chapel.