Town to begin renovations on Chief Tecopa cemetery building

Local veterans are cheering the efforts of the Pahrump Veterans Memorial Advisory Board, the Pahrump Town Board and one giant national retailer.

Last week the town board approved the renovation of the multi-purpose building at the veterans section of Chief Tecopa Cemetery.

Pahrump Town Manager Susan Holecheck said this week that the building is long overdue for repairs, while noting the project will not cost the town money.

“It really needs some sprucing up. It could use a better ceiling and other repairs. I turned in a grant for $5,000 but Home Depot needed more information like the DAV’s financial statements and budget. They provide grants to veterans every year and we thought this would be a great time to apply for the grant,” she said.

Holecheck said after gathering the necessary information, the town was able to secure the grant before deadline.

“We had to have everything turned in by September and it really threw us a curve because I turned it in back in April and never heard anything and now all of a sudden they needed the information immediately. I’m just so glad we were able to beat the deadline,” she said.

The town manager also said Home Depot will also provide the labor during the course of the project.

“They will provide all of the work and equipment and usually get the job done in one day. It’s really nice because we’re not spending any money, so we’re saving taxpayer dollars instead of hiring someone to do it,” she said.

Holecheck said once the renovation is completed, the building will be used for a number of different purposes.

“There are times when a veteran passes away and the spouse has a lot of memorabilia. They want a place where they can donate it for display,” she said.

Former Veterans Advisory Board member Jose Tellas said the renovation will cover everything from the floor to the ceiling.

“We are going to upgrade the floors and do framing on the east and west side of the walls for shelving. We will run new electrical wiring in the building and change the ceiling lights. When everything is completed, it’s going to look like a brand new multi-purpose room,” he said.

Additionally, desert landscaping and solar lighting will round out the project.

It’s not the first time Home Depot has contributed to the community.

Last year several dozen Home Depot employees volunteered their time to do a makeover on the VFW post on Homestead.

The project included new landscaping and some interior remodeling courtesy of Home Depot Foundation’s National Celebration of Service campaign.

Grants, up to $5,000, are available to registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and tax-exempt public service agencies in the U.S. that use volunteers to improve their community.

The grants are given in the form of Home Depot gift cards for the purchase of tools, materials, or services.

Work on the Pahrump project is expected to begin early next month.