A break-in and vandalism discovered at Veterans Memorial Hall has caused an estimated $10,000 in damage and prompted a community fundraising effort to help restore the longtime gathering place for local veterans and residents. Photo courtesy of American Legion Post 208

DIXON, CA (MPG) - A break-in and vandalism at Veterans Memorial Hall has caused an estimated $10,000 in damage and prompted a community fundraising effort to help restore the longtime gathering place for local veterans and residents.

The incident occurred on or before Dec. 24 at Veterans Memorial Hall, 1305 N. First St., which is regularly utilized by American Legion Post 208. According to Post 208 Commander Greg Young, offenders entered the building, discharged fire extinguishers throughout the hall, broke bottles of alcohol and forced entry into secured areas.

“They went through all the offices and sprayed the liquid from the fire extinguisher everywhere,” said Young. “They also broke into the safe in the liquor room from the bar and stole $1,000 and broke into our ATM and stole all the money from that.”

According to Young the damage appeared to be largely indiscriminate, with no clear motive beyond theft and destruction. Two fire extinguishers were discharged inside the building, requiring extensive cleaning and sanitizing, particularly in food preparation and storage areas.

“We found out later during the cleanup that there was more damage,” said Young. “Everything that touched food had to be scrubbed down to avoid contamination.”

Young has been a member of American Legion Post 208 since 2018 and became commander in 2025. While he does not live in Dixon, he said he has strong ties to the community and to the hall, which serves as a central venue for both veterans and the public.

The break-in was discovered when members of the American Legion stopped by the hall while attending a funeral service at another veterans facility in Dixon.

“They saw our doors were opened, investigated, and contacted me, the hall manager and the sheriff’s department,” said Young. “That’s when everyone showed up to see what had happened.”

Young described his reaction upon seeing the damage and learning that money had been stolen from both the safe and the ATM.

“I was very angry, hurt, very upset,” said Young. “Just mortified someone could do this to a veterans' hall.”

According to Post 208 Commander Greg Young, he was devastated when he learned of the damage, but community support has rejuvenated him. Donations to the fundraiser can be made at gofundme.com/f/restore-dixon-vets-hall-after-vandalism. Photo courtesy of American Legion Post 208

Veterans Memorial Hall is used regularly for community events, including weddings, quinceañeras, birthday celebrations, retirement parties and memorial services. It also hosts American Legion meetings, Friday night dinners and gatherings for local businesses and organizations.

“This hall is not just for veterans,” said Young. “It’s there for everyone and everything.”

Despite the extent of the damage, the hall was cleaned and prepared for continued use after a large volunteer effort. Young said more than 100 people responded to a call for help and spent about five hours cleaning the facility Dec. 26.

“It was one of the best things I’ve ever seen,” said Young.

On Dec. 24, Young launched a GoFundMe fundraiser to help cover repairs and replacement costs, including the ATM, safe and damaged equipment. As of Dec. 29, the fundraiser had raised $3,665 from 52 donations.

For Young, the response from the Dixon community has been a source of encouragement.

“For a while, I was starting to think we were a forgotten space in Dixon,” said Young. “The fact that we had so much support, from non-veterans to veteran-tied people, just showed that people do care about this hall.”

According to Young, the post plans to improve security moving forward, including reinstating a camera system that had been removed during the COVID-19 pandemic due to reduced hall use and funding constraints.

“We had the cameras in place, but we had to sacrifice that,” said Young. “Now we’re looking to get that back up and running.”

For those unable to donate financially, Young said volunteering time or supporting events such as Friday night dinners is another way to help.

More information is available on the American Legion Post 208 Facebook page or by emailing [email protected]. Donations to the fundraiser can be made at gofundme.com/f/restore-dixon-vets-hall-after-vandalism.