Forty years of faithful service to area veterans and Converse residents has taken its toll on American Legion Post 593. The post is in need of major repairs and members of Post 593 don’t see the economics of sinking more money into the aging facility.

As a result, post members have come up with a “Post Party” to kick off what is going to be a fundraising effort toward establishing or building a new legion hall, June 6-8 at Converse City Park.

“Post 593 needs a new post home to better serve not only our retired and disabled veterans but our active duty troops and community as well,” said Post Commander Nick Mills. “Quite frankly, we’ve outgrown our current facility. To make matters worse, our current facility is in need of some major repairs and it wouldn’t make economic sense to repair it.”

There is one problem, though: “We don’t have the funds to build a new one,” Mills said.

To start raising funds and to increase awareness among the local community, Post 593’s jubilee will feature three days of carnival, bands on two stages, a health fair, arts and crafts booths, a communitywide yard sale, food booths, face painting, martial arts demonstrations, car and motorcycle shows and a motorcycle run, among other attractions.

In addition to formally opening the jubilee, Converse Mayor Al Suarez will help raise funds by pulling a stint in the jubilee dunking booth.

Post chaplain and jubilee organizer Dennis Ducharme said he would like to see a colossal turnout from the community.

“We have a history of service to the community. We do a lot of good things on a regular basis, but unfortunately, we don’t do a very good job of promoting ourselves,” Du-charme said, pointing out some legion involvement in the past – high school scholarships, Boys and Girls State participants, holiday food and gift baskets, community service projects, Boy Scout troop sponsor, high school oratorical contest sponsor, and donor of more than $30,000 in the last two years for scholarships to children who have lost a parent to the war on terrorism.

The community, Mills added, could benefit from the availability of a modern hall that can hold 300-400 people that’s available for weddings, retirements, reunions or any reason.

Anyone wishing to be a part of Legion Jubilee can contact Ducharme at 630-0655 or visit the post’s Web site at: www.Post593.org.