Congressman Dan Meuser (R-09) announced that his office has secured $750,000 in congressionally directed Community Project Funding through the USDA-Rural Development program for improvements to the Orwigsburg Veterans Community Memorial Hall. Meuser and community leaders have worked for the past year to identify projects, such as Orwigsburg Memorial Hall, with the most need and greatest potential impact for direct federal funding and submitted them for consideration.

The facility will provide activity space, meeting rooms, and athletic programs for the community. The Orwigsburg Veterans Memorial Development Task Force organized in August 2005 with the mission to revitalize the building as a community hub.

“The Veterans Community Memorial Hall was dedicated in 1950 ‘to the Memory of the Veterans of All Wars.’ It is my honor to assist in ensuring this hall is a place to commemorate our nation’s heroes and bring the Orwigsburg community together for many years to come,” Meuser commented. “I applaud the extraordinary efforts of the task force that has been involved for decades in bringing this community asset back to life and creating space for people to gather, honor our nation’s veterans, and enjoy a multitude of activities.”

The renovation is a public-private partnership. The Community Project allocation spearheaded by Meuser will take the total project renovation across the $3 million threshold and will assure the collaborative work by the Borough of Orwigsburg and the Orwigsburg Veterans Memorial Development Taskforce to complete the renovation, done in many stages over the last 17 years, as both public grants and private campaign funds have been acquired. 

“The Orwigsburg Veterans Memorial Development Taskforce has partnered with the Borough of Orwigsburg to assure that this wonderful community building, the Veterans Memorial Community Hall, would be renovated and preserved in honor of all our veterans,” stated Robert S. Carl Jr., Veterans Memorial Task Force president. “We are truly grateful to Congressman Meuser for listening to the history, mission, and dedication of this building to honor our Veterans and for partnering with the greater Orwigsburg area community for the benefit and use of this landmark for Schuylkill County.”

The Orwigsburg Veterans Memorial Hall was dedicated on Saturday, July 22, 1950. The renovated Veterans Memorial Community Hall will continue to honor veterans while serving as a community gathering place as a centerpiece of the greater Orwigsburg area. Plans include a Veterans Foyer of Honor, Veterans Services Office, full court gymnasium area, retractable bleachers for fans, two public conference room areas and a catering kitchen.