After a long anticipated renovation, Woodmen Hall will soon be open. This historic building, built in 1898, has been serving the Lopez community for a period spanning three centuries. The Lopez Senior Advisory Board and The Friends of Woodmen Hall had two primary goals in restoration of the Hall:

Restore the home of traditional activities held at the Hall.

Create a new, warm, and inviting permanent home for the Lopez Senior Center.

Nearly all of the extensive remodel of the foyer, bathrooms, main room and kitchen are done. The floor in the main room is sparkling, the walls are painted, and the water is running. Visitors catch their breath when they first come into the beautiful new foyer. There are now three nicely appointed bathrooms and a state of the art commercial kitchen. Once the seniors have moved into their new home, the public will be able to use the facility in much the same way they have in the past. Soon, there will be a scheduling person who will be keeping the calendar of what’s happening at the hall. Information on how to book events will be announced in the near future.

To insure that the building can be used in various ways, there are easily moveable screens with curtains which were provided by the quilters in the main room. These can be used to configure the room any way you want or they can be easily disassembled and stored away. They serve an additional function of moderating the sound in the building.

Once Woodmen Hall is opened, The Friends will begin research and fundraising to work on the next step in the remodeling process which is to renovate the stage and rebuild the stage apron. This will involve new curtains, stage paint, insulation, wiring, sound, and light systems. Finally, once an additional staircase and possibly an elevator is added, the upstairs can also be made ready for public use.

Both organizations are grateful to the community whose donations of time, labor, and funds have made this amazing transformation possible. The Friends are especially grateful to Paul Berg, who has led the project and contributed more hours than anyone can count.

Lopez’ first chance to see the results of this remodel will be at The Third Annual Friends of Woodmen Hall Auction on Sunday, May 24. Look for an open house some time in June.

The Friends are in the midst of their 2009 membership/donation drive. If you would like to become a member or make a donation, please contact Virginia at 468-2738. Both The Friends and Woodmen Hall could use your help. If you have questions or would like to volunteer your help, please call Connie Kyser, Chair, The Friends of Woodmen Hall at 468-3275 or email her at: conniekyser@jps.net

Paul Berg, Chairman, Lopez Senior Advisory Board, is also available for more information at 468-4414 or email: paul135@centurytel.net