FORKS — Sarge’s Place, which provides housing for homeless veterans, still has a few odds and ends to be finished — and doesn’t yet have operating funds — but is already housing some vets.
During a soft opening Monday, three veterans moved into the transitional housing area — which is downstairs in the two-story building at 260 Ash Ave. in Forks — and Wednesday, a family took residence in permanent housing upstairs, said Cheri Fleck, project organizer and president of the nonprofit North Olympic Regional Veterans Housing Network.
The downstairs of the building, which once was an apartment house, was gutted and completely remodeled, while three upstairs apartment were created.
Work was funded by a federal Department of Housing and Urban Development grant of $487,000 that was obtained with the help of Sen. Patty Murray, D-Bothell.
Costs of remodeling exceeded the grant by more than $100,000, Fleck said.
“It’s done,” Fleck said, “but we cut some costs on some aspects, and there’s still some things we’d like to do.”
The transitional housing area is “completely livable,” she said, with areas for eight men and four women and a communal kitchen, laundry, pantry and dayroom.
Work is continuing on finishing apartments upstairs, but one family was able to move in, she said.
Anyone who wants to see what the place looks like can tour it Saturday during an open house from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
“We’ve had so many people who wanted to walk through,” Fleck said.
A benefit concert for the remodeled former apartment house is planned Saturday as well.
The concert will be from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Veterans for Foreign Wars Hall at 110 S. Spartan Ave.
Therapy Session will perform country, blues and folk music while Crescent Blue will play bluegrass.
Admission is by donation.
The fundraiser was organized by Sarge’s Place’s caretaker, Rick Seguin, who lives on-site, Fleck said.
Money from the benefit will both help the veterans who are now living in the building and go toward finishing up the structure, Fleck said.
A formal grand opening is to be conducted in October, Fleck said.
The housing is expected to be fully operational by the end of September.
“We don’t have operating monies coming in the door yet,” Fleck said.
Operating funds will come from the Veterans Administration, which is expected to conduct a full inspection within the next few weeks, she said.
To raise funds, the group is offering commemorative bricks for $50 each.
Each brick purchased in the name of a veteran will be placed in the Sarge’s Place entryway.
Those interested in purchasing bricks can email Fleck at tinkers@olypen.com.
For more information about Sarge’s Place, visit www.sargesplace.com/index.html, phone 360-374-5252 or email Sarge@sargesplace.com.
________
Managing Editor/News Leah Leach can be reached at 360-417-3531 or leah.leach@peninsuladailynews.com.
