Combat to construction, Vietnam vets serve community

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Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 628 members Richard Sively, Larry Belcher, Anthony Miley, Larry Wiley, and Jerry Midkiff stop working on the Planet Xtreme renovations just long enough for a quick photo Tuesday. The men have been working almost non-stop since July to turn the former Cornerstone Family Church building into a safe teen center for PXTC. Tammie Toler
Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 628 members Jerry Midkiff, Anthony Miley and Larry Wiley outline their plans for an HVAC system to Princeton City Councilman Tim Ealy Tuesday inside the new Planet Xtreme Teen Center on Brick Street in Princeton. Tammie Toler

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November 16, 2012

Combat to construction, Vietnam vets serve community

By TAMMIE TOLER Princeton Times The Zope Gazette Fri Nov 16, 2012, 05:03 AM EST

PRINCETON — Members of the Vietnam Veterans Chapter 628 served their country in combat. Now, they’re serving their community in construction.

In July, the veterans joined forces with Planet Xtreme Teen Center to turn the old Cornerstone Family Church building at 121 Brick St., into a new, safe, state-of-the-art community center for local teens. The effort has been huge, and PXTC Director Tim Smith said the commitment of the veterans involved is equal to the scope of the project.

“These guys have really been working their hearts out,” Smith said. “I can’t really explain everything they’ve done, because there’s so much.”

The veterans, themselves, are much more modest about their work. While they acknowledge the contribution they’re making to the 9,600-square-foot center, they also understand that they are investing in tomorrow’s leaders today.

“We want to do everything possible to put them in a building that’s complete,” veteran Richard Sively said.

So far, they estimate they’ve worked approximately 1,300 man hours inside the Brick Street building that Smith hopes to unveil with a New Year’s Eve event.

•••

The effort began earlier this year, when negotiations between the veterans, PXTC and the City of Princeton resulted in the teen center relinquishing its lease on the Fred Gilbert Activity Center, where the teen-focused programming had made a home for almost eight years.

The VVA members then asked the city for the right to lease the building to house the local chapter activities and to headquarter the local Marine Corps League’s Toys for Tots warehouse functions.

After substantial consideration, the City Council agreed to the shift in the lease agreement, provided that the veterans would help PXTC bring electrical wiring up to city safety codes at the Brick Street location.

The veterans pledged to do better than that. The immediately began raising funds to help Smith and PXTC leaders overhaul the old church building that had also functioned as a private residence, an auto body shop and a music store.

Now, they’re busy rewiring the structure, replacing floors, installing HVAC units, obtaining and installing a sprinkler system and more. They’ve even cut out a parent loop in front of the structure, where parents may soon pull off of Brick Street, drop their children off and re-enter the street safely.

“This is going to be the hottest place in town when we get it finished,” Smith said.

Although the move forced PXTC to stop its programming for a few months, Smith said he believes the center and the young people who love it will be better off for the wait.

“We’ve got a lot more usable space than what we had at the Gilbert Center. Plus, we’re going to be able to develop an outdoor space and double — maybe even triple — our capacity,” he said. “It’s just incredible the things they’ve done to this building.”

•••

While Smith is quick to give all of the credit for the renovation to the veterans, they are equally swift to acknowledge him.

“Tim Smith has the vision for what this should be and what we should be doing for our kids. He motivated me,” veteran Anthony Miley said.

The veterans are fully aware how much time and money they’ve put into the center, but their reward will be much more than the lease on the Gilbert Activity Center.

“We’re here because these kids here have a chance in life. They are our future, and this is part of what gives them a chance to succeed,” Sively said.

In addition to all the interior work, the veterans have also painted the outside of the new PXTC. They haven’t painted inside, but that’s by design.

“The inside is not painted, because the kids want to paint that themselves,” Jerry Midkiff explained.

There’s still much work yet to be done and several supply items that Smith is still working to secure. For example, PXTC is still in need of some tiles for a portion of the floor, a new sign out front and a few odds and ends to complete the center.

But, the work so far has restored Smith’s hope in what can be done when the community members care.

“These guys have really given a lot of heart. I’m really excited about the future and the investment we’re making in our teens,” Smith said, adding that he’s optimistic that the veterans will remain involved with the PXTC teens once the construction is complete. “I think that will make an impact on the kids, because these men have such quality and give the teens something to aspire to.”

For more information on PXTC, contact Smith at 304-887-2378.

— Contact Tammie Toler at ttoler@ptonline.net.

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