American Legion Post 55 is making some changes.

The most obvious one for the McDonough post is its meeting place. The building on Veterans Drive that it has called home for decades is no longer an option.

Post commander Mikki Bishop told the Times that there have been some inquiries regarding possible repairs to the building, which was built in the late 1940s or early 1950s, to make it usable and bring it up to code. But Bishop said he was told that would be extremely expensive.

“The floor gave way and a lot of the floor joists had termite damage,” he said. “[The floor] set down on the heating and air unit that was underneath the building. We’d love to stay there but I can’t see how we’re going to raise the money.”

The post constructed the building decades ago and has been renting the land from the city for a dollar a year. City officials have expressed a willingness to help out with the repairs up to a certain amount, but that would not be enough, Bishop said, adding that a plea to the county for help was turned down because if the county did it for one organization, it would have to help all of them in the community.

Post officers are thinking about approaching the Henry County Board of Education about the use of an old Henry County High School gymnasium, which is now being used for storage, noting that a plaque on the wall in that building indicates that it was built by veterans shortly after World War II.

For now, the post has its annual Valentine’s gathering for members and their spouses or significant others scheduled for Sunday, February 5, at Pilgreen’s Lake Dow. As for regular meetings, the temporary location for the first Tuesday of every month is the McDonough Women’s Club just off Hwy. 155 a few blocks south of Henry County Probate Court.

There are about 100 paying members currently, Bishop said. Attendance is another story.

The post is working to get back formerly active members who dropped off during the COVID-19 pandemic. The January meeting had about 10 in attendance, and there was talk at one time about whether to disband the post, but that is not happening now.

According to an official American Legion website, if you have served federal active duty in the United States Armed Forces since December 7, 1941, and have been honorably discharged or are still serving, you are eligible for membership.