NORVHN purchases Forks VFW building

December 1, 2022 1:30 am
The Forks VFW building at the corner of Spartan and A St. has long been a community meeting place for many activities since the 1960s. The new activities there will continue to benefit Vets in our community. Photo Christi Baron
The Forks VFW building at the corner of Spartan and A St. has long been a community meeting place for many activities since the 1960s. The new activities there will continue to benefit Vets in our community. Photo Christi Baron

North Olympic Regional Veterans Housing Network (NORVHN) has recently purchased the Forks VFW Hall, located at 110 Spartan Ave. According to Cheri Tinker, NORVHN’s Executive Director, NORVHN contributed $75,000, and the Sequim VFW, Sequim American Legion and Carlsborg VFW also contributed $25,000 together for the purchase of the building. The grand total was $100,000 which went to the State VFW. The transaction closed a few weeks ago. Tinker shared, “We will be moving The Attic, our secondhand store into the space. We are so excited!”

Tinker said that the building has a commercial kitchen and eventually she looks to employ Veterans who will offer espresso, cookies, pastries, breakfast sandwiches, and lunch sandwiches and soups.

NORVHN opened its second-hand store, The Attic, located within Camp Sol Duc’s garage at 260 Sol Duc Way in Forks on Oct. 3, 2016. NORVHN is a non-profit serving homeless Veterans within Clallam and Jefferson Counties and the agency runs Sarge’s Place and Camp Sol Duc – both located in Forks. All proceeds from The Attic help to pay for operating and employment development for Sarge’s Place and Camp Sol Duc Veterans.

The second-hand store predominately sells furniture, household items, antiques, and collectibles.

The announcement was made around Veteran’s Day last year that the Fletcher -Wittenborn VFW Post 9106 would be closing.

Dwindling membership and few active members were part of the reason for the decision. COVID also factored into the inability to fundraise and maintain the building.

The Forks post was formed after WWII and named for Walter Fletcher and Arthur Wittenborn both killed in action during WWII.

Members originally met at the West End Sportsman’s Club until about 1960 when the post got its own home on Spartan Avenue.

Representatives from the VFW recently came and took possession of a few items that remained in the building.

Tinker said that some remodeling of the building is planned prior to the move.

Although the structure will no longer be serving VFW members it will still be benefitting Veterans in a new way.