It's about Community
By Max Wagner, Investment Associate
At the W.A. & R. Ouellette VFW Post (#8502) in Westport, Massachusetts, local combat veterans gather on the third Sunday of each month for a chapter meeting. It’s a time to discuss new business at the Post, talk about shared experiences, and look after each other. Old black-and-white photos hang on the wall beside bright string lights, a reminder that the space is for both remembering the past and enjoying the present.
“Coming to the VFW is about knowing that you’re part of a community,” says Post 8502 Commander Don Davidson, a Vietnam War veteran. “We want veterans to feel welcomed when they return, not shunned. The Post is a place where we provide that sense of welcome.”
The Post, named after three members of the Ouellette family who all served overseas in World War II and lived in Eastern Massachusetts, was built in 1946 by local members. Combat veterans and their families have been coming there ever since to connect with each other and celebrate special events. Commander Davidson and his fellow members are working on a long-term plan to help ensure that they will be able to continue to do so for years to come.
A 45kW solar installation on the rooftops of the Post and its events pavilion is a part of that plan. The solar installation, the result of a partnership between Framingham-based developer Team Solar, VFW Post 8502, and Sunwealth, provides the VFW with clean energy – and, just as important, meaningful savings on its monthly energy bills.
“VFWs across the country are looking for ways to cut expenses and stay afloat financially,” says Commander Davidson. Declining membership and increased expenses to maintain old buildings have made it difficult for some posts to continue operating. Though oftentimes members keep the charter going and continue to meet, the sale of a building is a huge loss for the community. That’s why it’s so important for VFW posts to find ways to cut expenses. Solar allows them to save money and participate in the clean energy transition.
“The energy savings we get from solar will make a big difference on our monthly expenses. They provide a cushion that helps us keep the organization going,” says Commander Davidson.
Delivering energy savings to nonprofit organizations is a central part of Team Solar’s mission. “We’ve realized that supporting nonprofits is equally as important as our core mission of promoting environmental sustainability,” says James Neal, CEO and Co-founder of Team Solar. “We could just go buy land, mow down trees, and build solar there. Instead, we’re able to utilize existing rooftops and pass financial savings onto nonprofits like the VFW that can use the money in their communities.”
For decades, combat veterans and their families have found community at their local VFW post. It’s a place for both remembrance and celebration; a place to spend time together. Countless weddings, anniversaries, graduation parties, and birthday bashes have happened at the W.A. & R. Ouellette VFW Post over the years. If Commander Davidson and his fellow members have something to say about it, there are countless more to come.
Max Wagner is an Investment Associate at Sunwealth and a senior at Northeastern University. He is a renewable energy advocate and believes that harnessing solar energy is key to combatting climate change and building an inclusive energy future.