VERO BEACH, Fla. — Seven months after it was torn apart by a tornado spawned during Hurricane Milton, the Vero Beach Veterans Inc. building has reopened its doors.
The local veterans hall suffered major structural damage in October — holes in the roof, debris scattered across the floors, and a long road to recovery ahead. With no insurance and limited resources, hopes to reopen by Christmas were quickly replaced by a more realistic goal: Memorial Day.
WATCH: Community support helps veterans hall reopen
“Everybody that walks in the door is just amazed at what we had and what we have now,” said Commander Marschall Van Doren.
The rebuild wasn’t easy. Project manager Bobby Francisco said many believed the project wasn’t worth pursuing.
But community support told a different story. Nearly $60,000 in donations poured in, including one organization that paid for the entire roof replacement.
“There are some great people out there who really care about their veterans,” Van Doren said.
Now, the facility boasts a brand-new roof, refinished floors, and a renewed purpose. Laughter and hugs filled the space Monday as veterans celebrated the building’s soft reopening — timed to coincide with Memorial Day.
The official ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for June 7.
