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Volunteers for vets: Mayville pavilion work starts

The Tuscola County Advertiser - 7/9/2017

Volunteer troops arrived, as promised, Thursday for the first day of work building the "Veterans ? You Are Not Forgotten ? Pavilion" next to the Mayville Area Museum of History & Genealogy along M-24.

"They volunteered for us. The people in Mayville want to volunteer for the people who volunteered for us 45 years ago," said "Downtown" Rodney Brown of Mayville, teaming up with Justin Kenney of Oakland County to use an auger to drill holes for metal posts at the pavilion site.

Chris Searles of Tuscola County's Koylton Township, owner of Custom Wood Carving, made a wooden sign designating the pavilion site, where Adam Tippett of Franzel Well Drilling of Mayville used a machine to drill a trench for the pavilion footing.

"We've got 40 (cubic) yards of concrete coming today," said Frank Franzel, a Vietnam War veteran and member of Mayville Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10884. Minutes later, a truck from Rock Products arrived to pour concrete in the trench to help form the footing.

Not far from Franzel on Thursday, Larry Allison ? commander of the VFW Post ? operated a backhoe. Titus Putman, general contractor for the pavilion project and owner of Putman Home Improvements, oversaw work at the site.

The VFW Post, along with Mayville American Legion Post 181, have helped lead the effort to build the 40-by-60 pavilion for community use on the 3-acre museum property at 2124 E. Ohmer Road (M-24). Volunteers from the museum and the Mayville Lions Club also helped the cause on Thursday.

The pavilion honors veterans and the museum benefits by earning revenue through pavilion rental fees. Veterans, however, have asked the museum to allow free use of the pavilion by veterans' groups, scouting groups and school organizations. It's possible the museum could grant a discount to veterans wanting to rent the pavilion for a family event, Franzel said.

Donors contributing $1,000 or more to the pavilion effort will be noted with a plaque on a "Wall of Honor" on the back of the pavilion, where a donor can note the person or group honored by the donation.

For smaller donations, contributors can have the name of a veteran or loved one etched on brick pavers in front of the pavilion, where workers will erect a flagpole.

Donors may make checks payable to "Mayville Area Museum" and mail the checks to: Mayville Area Museum, P.O. Box 242, Mayville, MI 48744, C/O Veterans Pavilion Fund. Those with questions may call Franzel at 989-550-2060.