Patriots’ Hall of Dripping Springs hosts open house

The long-anticipated Patriots’ Hall of Dripping Springs held an open house August 17 and 18 to give veterans and the public a sneak-peek to the campus’ latest additions.

Dripping Springs has long had a strong sense of civic pride, and the new Patriots' Hall is poised to become a vital resource for the estimated 14,000 veterans in the area. When you add the families of those military veterans, the impact for the community is even larger.

The facility provides a 10-acre retreat and resource hub for all veterans and their families to connect and thrive. One of the key features of Patriots' Hall concept is its focus on inclusivity. Unlike more traditional veteran organizations that have struggled to engage younger or more diverse veterans, Patriots' Hall aims to create a space where all veterans and their families feel welcome. This includes offering a variety of programs and services that cater to different interests and needs, from educational workshops to recreational activities.

It will also be a place where veterans can connect to services that help with benefits, mental health assistance, and wellness programs. The design of Patriots' Hall reflects this modern approach. The spaces are warm and inviting, with state-of-the-art amenities that make them accessible and comfortable for all veterans. Families will enjoy the recreational options, including cornhole games on the back lawn, a pingpong/ pool table, library and outdoor fire pits. There is a kitchen, meeting space and future programmed events.

There is morning coffee and workspace for veterans and spouses.

The first of the three buildings constructed on the property is for local members of the VFW and American Legion Posts. For years, the VFW members borrowed space for their meetings and events. Lenny Jasinski, who served in the Navy during the Vietnam conflict, and an active member of the VFW Post 2933, said, “We didn’t have a meeting hall, so we’d meet at the high school’s old Agriculture building, the old fire hall, or the Stephenson school building. We were like a bunch of old vagabonds, moving around but basically homeless,” Jasinski added.

That changed in 2018 at Founders Day when Jasinski’s friend and fellow veteran, Charlie ‘Shorty’ Barnett, created a flyer to hand out, sharing his dream for a home for local veterans.

One person touched by the flyer was Kathryn Chandler, one of the founders of Patriots’ Hall.

“When I met Shorty and saw his Vietnam Veterans hat, I was reminded of my dad, who also served in Vietnam,” Chandler said. “My dad was my absolute favorite person in the world.

His health was a mess because of Agent Orange, and he had a hard life when he came home.

But his mood perked up when he was with other veterans. I understood the importance of veterans sharing their experiences with other vets.”

With Shorty’s flyer in hand, Chandler called her friend, Dr. Mary Jane Hetrick. “She called me and asked, ‘Did you get one of these?’ I hadn’t seen it, so we had coffee and brainstormed. At first, we thought we could find about an acre of land and build a simple Mueller building for the two Posts to meet,” Hetrick said. As they gathered veterans and other community leaders to help, they realized once they completed the 1,200 sq ft new Me e t i n g House for the Posts, they had much more work to do. “We need to also support our younger military generations and their families— those returning from the Middle East, those in transition, those raising young families.

T h a t ’ s when the full mission of Patriots’ Hall was born, Chandler said. Kathryn reached out to Iraq veteran Jeff Wells, who runs a veterans’ nonprofit in San Antonio called Wish for Our Heroes and asked him to send out surveys to his wide database of active military and young veterans, from Ft. Cavazos to San Antonio. “These survey responses became our roadmap to create PHDS,” Chandler said. That feedback formed a vision: to create a space and network to help veterans navigate the transition after military service by connecting local vets to agencies and advocates who could help with VA paperwork—and other veterans’ challenges; all while giving them a home for camaraderie and learning.

Now, that vision is a reality. The campus is impressive. The property is 10 acres and sits on a hill overlooking HWY290. There is a 7,100 squarefoot main hall, with a kitchen, administrative space and a library. That space will be where veterans and their families can visit over a cup of coffee, host parties or take classes. And soon, the completion of an 800 square-foot wellness center will be added. The wellness center is a space for veterans to have appointed consultations with physicians and VA benefits specialists.

And the 1,200 square foot Meeting House that our local VFW and American Legion Posts can finally call home. There is also ample outdoor area, with walking trails, Hill Country landscapes and large play yard for children to play or hold outdoor fitness camps. Future plans include ADA-walking trails, a playscape, obstacle course, fire pits and a vegetable garden.

Patriots’ Hall’s commitment to inclusivity also means creating a welcoming place for women who served in the military. “One of our newest board members, Johanna Wynne, retired after 20 years in the Army. She has her own group of female veterans and their spouses. She has brought so much to our board, along with the other veterans,” Chandler said.

“When you come here you know everyone who is a veteran went through some form of what you’ve also gone through at some level,” Wynne said. “We are building a space where people can build relat ionships over time, and through those trusted relationships, perhaps be more inclined to seek support that they need, that they otherwise might not.”

Patriots’ Hall plans to be a strong supporter of veteran spouses—both husbands and wives.

“We also want to support Gold Star families and activeduty military too. Anyone who signed up for the military is welcome here,” Chandler said. Now after years of planning, fundraising and construction, the new home for local veterans will open September 4.

The board of directors hired Marty Markgraf as the Hall’s administrator. The model will use connections management to get Veterans the support they need in their transition to civilian life; using volunteers and partnerships to do the tasks. Shorty Barnett, who passed away in 2023, was named Director Eme r i t u s for his vision and leadership and service to a grateful nation. There are many others to thank for this project. Generous donors have given their time, talent and treasure to accomplish the design and construction of the Patriot Hall campus. There are many opportunities for local volunteers to keep the Patriots’ Hall active and alive.

With a cost capped at $10 million, most of those funds (84%) have already been raised. More donations and sponsorships are welcomed to keep the organization financially sound and provide the services our local veterans need and deserve. Patriots’ Hall is located at 231 Patriots’ Hall Blvd in Dripping Springs. For more information about Patriots’ Hall, or to donate, visit patriotshall.org.