Pages

Monday, January 9, 2012

Nonprofit Works To Restore WWII-Air Navy Tower

Part of keeping the past alive is protecting it from the elements.  And that's exactly what one Washington-based nonprofit is hoping to do.

The News Tribune reported that a nonprofit group under the leadership of Malin Bergstrom, president of Pasco, Wa.-based Bergstrom Aircraft, is working on a fundraising campaign to get $70,000 for the first phase of restoration of the historic Pasco Naval Air Station tower.  Crews began temporary repairs last week to protect it from weather.

The campaign was made possible when the nonprofit leading the campaign, Save the Old Tower, received its nonprofit status from the IRS.  Once this happened, they were able to raise money and accept tax-deductible cash and in-kind donations, like labor and supplies.  The group has already raised $4,000 according to Bergstrom, and they hope to reach their $70,000 goal in the next year.

The Pasco Naval Air Station tower, which was first commissioned in 1942, is under serious threat because of a leaky roof that has caused water to spread to the nearby 20,360-square-foot hangar, which the Port of Pasco had hoped to repair and rent.  Bergstrom says the repairs that are ongoing are a step in the right direction, but more extensive renovation is needed to fully restore the tower to its former glory.  The tower is not currently accessible to the public, and Save the Old Tower will have to work with the port, Transportation and Safety Administration, and Homeland Security to make this possible.

Read more about the Pasco Naval Air Station tower in The News Tribune.

No comments: