Focus shifts to interior work, upkeep at War Museum

By ROBERT CONNELLY

rconnelly@vindy.com

CANFIELD

The new siding on the War Vet Museum seems to glow in the sunlight.

That work, as well as fresh landscaping, highlight the progress that has been made in the last six weeks on the renovation at the museum, 23 E. Main St.

There may be more work done inside during the fall and winter months, with possible further renovation next spring.

Sam Boak, of the Canfield Rotary and the owner of Boak & Sons, said his crews were at the museum for 23 days of work with about four to five guys per day on average.

Besides the new siding, there was “a lot of rotted wood” and some new trim around the windows installed, he said.

“I think [my crews] did an excellent job and they worked real hard,” Boak said.

Edison Lighting donated new lights for a sign, a value of about $4,000, Boak said.

But now the focus shifts to the cost of maintaining and operating the museum.

“It makes me feel glad that we got the project done,” said Scotty Crawford, 11, who raised more than $17,000 for the renovation work.

“I think as [people] see us and other people work they will say ‘Oh, look how much better it looks,’” he said.

Doug Speece has a smile on his face when he looks at the progress at the museum.

“It means the world [to me]. Dad would be very proud,” he said with a smile.

Speece’s father was Lewis “Lew” Speece Jr. and the operator of the museum, who died in February at 89.

Scotty Crawford, 11, along with his family and friends dug holes to plant flowers and other shrubbery at the museum recently.

Scotty used a letter-writing campaign to raise nearly $17,000 and got in touch with Boak about the project.

Boak’s company put the siding on labor free and Banner Supply gave a discounted rate on the siding material.

Scotty’s mom, Atty. Anne Crawford, took a break from landscaping work to recap on her son’s project to renovate the museum.

“It looked like a small job in the beginning, but like everything, it grows,” she said. “There will be more done probably in the spring.”

Work to be done in the spring includes a front door replacement.

Speece said he has been in contact with a few people – “some retired Army personnel” – about working at the museum. His father used to be at the museum everyday to operate it.

“When you have it open, you almost have to have someone sitting [at the entrance] all the time like Dad used to,” he said.

“I hope when this is finished, people walk in and are like ‘Wow,’” Scotty said.

The museum has 17 rooms on four floors, and various features from model trains in the basement to rooms dedicated to specific conflicts on the first and second floors. An attic on the third floor, which opened in 2002, is for the Persian Gulf War, Iraqi War and Native American war.

Those wanting to donate to the museum for interior renovations and upkeep of it, can make checks payable to The War Vet Museum and drop them in a mailbox on the front porch of the building. It is a 501(c)(3) entity, and donations to the museum are tax deductible.