Tile Setters Local 18 apprentices stepped up recently to help the St. Charles County Veterans Museum, cleaning the grout joints in the museum entryway after years of wear and damage caused by two water pipes breaking in the museum.
“A friend of mine saw a Facebook post from the St. Charles County Veterans Museum asking for volunteers,” said Local 18 Apprentice Coordinator Charlie Reiter. “I reached out to Executive Board Member Jim Higgins at the museum and asked if Local 18 apprentices could be of assistance.”
Once the water was cleaned up, the apprentices came in and were able to clean about 350-square-feet of tile.
Higgins said the water damaged the laminate flooring in the museum’s hallway and flooded the tile. “Let’s say it didn’t clean it,” he said.
The not-for-profit museum was started by U.S. Army veteran Ralph Barrale, who landed on the beach of Normandy and wanted to do something that honored all veterans.
The museum opened in April of 2019 with $600 in the bank to honor all veterans, especially those from St. Charles County by sharing their stories.
“We’re not about the stuff, the artifacts. We have some great things, but we’re about the veterans, the sacrifices they made and telling their stories,” Higgins said.
“If it wasn’t for the community we couldn’t have pulled it off. They’re just so generous and thankful for the veterans. We’re grateful for the Tile Setters and the work they did.”
The museum is located at 410 East Elm Street O’Fallon, Mo., and is open Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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