The Aberdeen Post 224 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars has announced that it will sell its downtown Aberdeen building, but the post won’t be disbanding.

The decision was made at a joint meeting with the Post Auxiliary. The building is at 105 E. Heron St.

A statement from the post said, “This drastic action was very carefully considered over many months and was determined to be the best solution to a problem that all membership organizations are dealing with these days. That problem is a lack of participation by young people. Virtually all civic, fraternal, religious, veterans, and other organizations are quite literally dying of old age.

A small group of dedicated, but unpaid volunteers has been doing the work of keeping the canteen and the lounge open to serve veterans, members, and the general community, but the lounge and commercial kitchen are just breaking even, on good months, post leaders said.

The post has no intention of suspending its veterans support, community education, and community support programs.

The plan is to sell the building and relocate to a smaller building that will support post programs, without the burden of a lounge or commercial kitchen. In the meantime current operations will continue until the building sells, which includes supporting the Harbor Haylofters practices and monthly dances and the Grays Harbor Emergency Response Committee meetings. The facility is still available for rental for public and private events.

The Aberdeen Elks have offered their facility during the search for a new building and the post will accept if it is necessary during the transition.