ALBURTIS, Pa. — After over a year of revitalizing the community center's activities and renovating its building, the Alburtis Area Community Center is building a new monument and place of reflection for its veterans.
A new veterans' gazebo was constructed Friday following a $14,000 gift from the Home Depot Foundation and the volunteering of labor from the nearby Lower Macungie Home Depot, which opened last year.
"We are forever grateful for their support, for the Home Depot team, and the many men and women you see here today from our local store," said Alburtis Community Center Coordinator and Borough Councilman Hector Moss.
He said he hopes it can serve as a location for local veterans to sit, relax and reflect while serving as a point of support for the community.
During a press conference unveiling the gazebo, volunteers from the Home Depot constructed the platform and structure in front of speakers.
A small group of local veterans, Alburtis officials and Lions Club members attended to hear speakers and see the gazebo be constructed.
Mathew Onuschak, a veteran who lives in the Borough of Alburtis and a former Home Depot employee, said it was great to see the project go up and to get support from local officials.
"I don't think we ever can do too much for our veterans and those who serve our country,"Susan Wild
"There's a lot of people in the community that are either our veterans or have family members that were vets," Onuschak said.
"So I think this will go a really long way to show support within the community to those who serve."
In a bit of calm-before-the-storm way, both Congresswoman Susan Wild (PA-7, D) and Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (187th PA House District, R), who is currently running to unseat her, attended the event, celebrating the work at the community center and local veterans.
Wild cited her gratitude toward her father's Air Force service and also thanked both the ambition of the community center officials and the generosity of those at Home Depot.
"I don't think we ever can do too much for our veterans and those who serve our country," Wild said.
"This is only going to improve the community center as we remember and recognize our veterans and their sacrifice and the bravery that they've provided for the country,"Ryan Mackenzie
Mackenzie celebrated the work that has gone into the event and praised the venue and its events as well as praising Home Depot as a great community partner.
"This is only going to improve the community center as we remember and recognize our veterans and their sacrifice and the bravery that they've provided for the country," Mackenzie said.
Mackenzie presented a certificate on behalf of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives to Moss to commemorate the project.
It was an event uniquely free of politics and debates for the two figures, as they enter the final sprint of the heated and closely divided PA-7 congressional race.
Landscaping work by Home Depot volunteers also took place around the community center, adding benches and picnic tables, along with flowers and mulch to existing vegetation.
A new board formed last year began dramatically expanding the community event offerings at the community center, and gave it a fresh coat of paint restoring the building.
This included new Halloween parades and festivals and a new annual community days carnival.
"I am so grateful to bring what seems to be crazy ideas to the Alburtis Center," Moss said, thanking the community center board and borough officials for supporting the center's growth.
He said it was very emotional seeing the support of local businesses, community members and elected officials for the community center's efforts.
"Every community needs somebody with some crazy ideas who is also willing to do the hard work to make those crazy ideas happen," Wild said in response, praising the project.
Upcoming events for the community center include a Breakfast with Santa event and a larger holiday festival on Dec. 7.
