The buzzing sound of hair clippers bounced off the walls of the dart room at the Veterans of Foreign Wars post Wednesday afternoon in downtown Santa Fe.

Near the bar, a pot of pinto beans, corn tortillas and other fixings were available to make tostadas, free of charge.

The barbering service and occasional free food at VFW Post 2951 on Montezuma Avenue near Sandoval Street is part of an ongoing effort to keep the lights on and the doors open.

"Night before last, we had only six guys that came in, and they made $45 at the bar," Cmdr. Gilbert Romero said. "We're struggling to get veterans, to get people to come in."

The post, which relies on revenue from the bar to pay for the building's utilities and other operational costs, as well as for programs for veterans, including a relief fund

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