‘It’s crazy’: Veterans react after second car crashes into VFW roof
EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo. (KCTV) - For the second time in less than 4 months, a car has crashed into the roof of the Clay-Ray Veterans Association Memorial Hall. The building, which was set to re-open in weeks, will remain closed.
“It’s crazy,” said Chris Stull, the Clay-Ray Veterans Association President. “It’s seriously crazy.”
Stull says he was at work this morning when people started reaching out to tell him what happened. At first, he says he didn’t believe it.
“After getting pictures and video, I had to,” said Stull. “I still don’t know what to think about it. It’s hard to believe it’s happened twice in 4 months. We were two to three weeks from opening from the damage in the kitchen. This is going to push us back a couple months at least.”
In February, a car crashed into the roof over the kitchen area following a police chase. On Wednesday, a second car crashed through the roof over the bar area. Stull showed KCTV 5 the renovations near completion from the damage from the first car, as well as the damage from the second car.
“You can’t miss the damage to the ceiling up here,” said Stull. “This is the pressure it caused right here and then over here, you see where all this has dropped. They’re going to have to take all that out to see what kind of structural damage there is, if any, if there are ts that need to be replaced, just what’s going on up there.”
He says the force of the crash caused the car’s engine to fly out into the front lawn and hit the flagpole. He says that will have to be replaced as well.
“You have the state highway and that’s where they’re coming off of onto the city streets,” said Stull. “The state highway is a little bit higher, I think 35 miles per hour, but then it drops down to 25 mph. There’s been talk about trying to get more warning signs up on the highway, about trying to get a barricade put up on the side streets to keep this from happening.”
The continued closure of the building is putting a strain on the association’s ability to pay bills, insurance, and make donations in the community. They heavily rely on bingo nights, which brings in dozens each week.
“Without being open, it’s hard to afford those things, especially as a nonprofit,” said Stull. “We are trying to set up raffles, we have ways to donate, whatever people can donate to help. It all helps.”
Stull has set up a Venmo where people can donate. They also have a P.O. Box that people can send checks to at Clay Ray Veterans, P.O. Box 297, Excelsior Springs, MO 64024.
Stull says the Clay-Ray Veterans Association met with city officials Wednesday night. There were discussions about potentially putting up a barricade where both vehicles launched from on Linwood Rd. He says it will likely be discussed at a city council meeting on Friday morning. He says several of the association plan on attending.
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