The company donated $30,000 worth of plumbing supplies and labor to the VFW in Durango.

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4031 needed replacement of the original cast iron slings.

It’s not every day that people look forward to a new sewer line. But for the guys at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4031, which urgently needs new lines, there is cause for celebration.

VIP Plumbing made a significant donation this week of $30,000 in sewer lines, about 100 feet of pipe and labor.

Second-generation master plumber James Cook of VIP Plumbing said he was looking for ways to give back to the community and decided partnering with local veterans was a good way to start.

He said he already has several small projects underway at the VFW, and after talking with members, he offered to replace the sewer line free of charge.

The VFW still uses the original cast iron sewer lines. According to Cook, there will definitely come a day when they will have to dig it all up anyway.

He said cast iron pipes are rotting from the inside out, so the days of these lines are numbered. But VIP Plumbing uses a liner that can “stop rot in its tracks” and offers a lifetime warranty in case it doesn’t, he said.

VFW commander. David Latham said the post was founded Feb. 2, 1945, and was built by World War II veterans.

He said the VFW’s plumbing problems stem from clogged and clogged pipes. Despite the recent renovation of the toilets, problems remain. During the inspections, the VIP Plumbing company discovered a tree with a root system near the VFW pipe.

When VIP Plumbing told Latham how much it would cost to install new pipe liners, Latham said the VFW simply didn’t have the budget for such a project. Therefore, the VIP Plumbing company offered to do the work for free.

Cook said he has a “grand plan” to work on projects with the VFW every year. He already has plans to install a new HVAC system at VFW next year in a partnership with Home Depot, which will provide the equipment and VIP Plumbing will provide the labor.

He said the VFW currently has no air conditioning and uses three swamp coolers located around the building.

He said veterans risk their lives without asking questions, and they don’t always have the luxury of returning from service.

“I have to leave my kids just to work, so I can only imagine these guys saying goodbye and not even knowing if they’ll see their loved ones again,” he said.

Cook said he’s also interested in organizing a canned food drive or something similar as part of relief efforts for hurricanes Helen and Milton, which hit the East Coast in September and October, respectively.

He said given the political divide across the country, now is the time to unite.

“I know I’m not the only one in Durango who feels that way,” he said.

Latham was delighted with the work of VIP Plumbing on Friday.

“This is excellent. They do a great job. Very professional,” he said. “…This is unheard of for me. The plumbing company says, “Hey, we’ll do $30,000 to $40,000 worth of work.”

On Saturday, the VFW will participate in the Durango Train Pull, an annual fundraiser for the Special Olympics, at 11 a.m. at the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad station.

He also looks forward to the annual Veterans Day Parade on Main Avenue and wreaths across America in December.

Latham said the VFW hosts a breakfast for veterans every first and third Sunday of the month, with November’s first breakfast scheduled for a Sunday.

There is a $10 charge for breakfast for the general public, but if anyone leaves still feeling hungry, it’s their own fault, he said.

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