Saturday was a very busy day filled with teamwork. Naturally I was the team leader.
A few weeks ago I met a group of AmeriCorps youth. This group is part of the NCCC or National Civilian Conservation Corps. They are in our area clearing a hiking trail around one of the lakes. They toured the Museum and asked me if I had any projects they could help with.
I made a list. HA..one of those things I do best. Projects..oh yeah I have a few.
At the end of the day I was exhausted..have you tried to keep up with three 18 to 24 year olds lately?
We worked on four projects in the basement. We cleaned out a vault to store the leftover rummage sale items. We packed up the sale items and got them stored away.
We made arrangements to pick up our etched glass panels that were a donation from McDonalds in Park Rapids. ( When they remodeled they removed the glass panels.) There are scenes etched in glass..the water tower, the old Germania hall, the First National Bank, a logging scene and the Carnegie Library.
There are six panels. For now they are in the Resort/Business Room downstairs. The frames may have to be painted. A project for next spring. My parents hauled them from a members garage to the museum..and the corps loaded and unloaded them. Youth!
This is a photo of the High School Memory Room..before.
This is the after we moved everything out in preparation for the painting that should be accomplished this week.
Yes, we discovered a big hole in the floor. That building is always full of surprises.
Nope no buried treasure..just a hole of unknown origin..that has a pipe. Possibly it is an old gas line from the early days. One of the corps said perhaps it was an ancient outhouse?? The building was built in 1900. I would assume that the floor in the basement was dirt for a long time. This hole had all kinds of rotted wood in it.
Some not so good teamwork: The County Custodian gave a report on the state of our building this past week. I requested funding for some new carpeting in the foyer and stairs and repair of door jams that are tripping hazards. The meeting was not good. We have very little support from the Commissioners..even though they still own the building. The building is a Historic place and designated as such. There was mention of the asbestos in the boiler room. “But no one ever goes in there” Well.. except me. When our request for a lock box to house the key for the Fire Department was brought up. One Commissioner said “Let it burn.” There was a big write up in the paper..here is the link. Talk about a kick in the pants.
Five more days left. I was supposed to have yesterday off as a vacation day..that did not happen with the AmeriCorps group coming in. I may take next Saturday off or just close the building one day early. Far Guy and I both worked yesterday. Far Guy handled the tour that requested coffee be served afterwards and he finished up a huge scanning project that he was working on.
It will be a busy week this week. I have scheduled three work days at the end of the week for Board Members..and I have a list:)
Reading the attached link makes me mad for a couple of reasons. With my late mother's blindness, I am particularly aware of how the majority of people like to ignore trip hazards and handicap accessibility. I can't count how many times I've heard business owners say that "blind people don't visit museums!"
ReplyDeleteSecondly, John was in Codes Enforcement for 20 years. The City was adamant about him enforcing building codes everywhere EXCEPT within their own facilities. As if the well-being and health of its own employees was not important.
I would think after all the hard work you have done collecting and displaying historical artifacts and the fact that Far Guy risks his life to save buildings and people from burning buildings, that the guy's comment in "jest" is particularly offensive. There is NOTHING funny about any of this. I will be glad when you can close the door!
I'm sorry. That meeting was very disrespectful to you.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the NCCC were some help, at least.
Our county had some commissioners like that once...they've gone on to their reward (and yours will too). Bless the youth; too bad it's wasted on the young! Hang in there, you are almost done.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the comments, I guess I'll go and read that link too. Your work may not be appreciated by some, but many others I'm sure really appreciate it and know what a find you (and Far Guy) are!
ReplyDeleteWow, they are not holding back any punches in that newspaper article are they. That guy is obnoxious to the hilt, "let it burn." How would he feel if something he treasured burn down.
ReplyDeleteIt's as if you take one step forward, and are dragged backwards by these people.
They have the two of you working hard, and giving so much, for the price of one person. That's scary.
Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams
How nice to have the youth to help out! Love that program!!! As for commissioners, nice to see they are just as hmmmm idiotic and unsupportive there as they are here.
ReplyDeleteEven said in jest, "Let it burn" reflects that commissioner's short-sightedness. I agree with GramMary that what goes around comes around. Let's hope the commissioner's comment will be his ticket off of the commission at the next election.
ReplyDelete"let it burn"??? that's astounding!
ReplyDeletei love that stone wall.
Sadly, that is the attitude of too many people toward our own history...just forget it...let it burn! Well, he burned me up!!
ReplyDeleteThank goodness for the young and strong coming to the rescue! I definitely think you should close up a day early. You need a break!
Were there any potentially supportive commissioners? If so, you or your board might quickly try to get them to visit the building and talk about strategies. Grants? Fund-raising? Annual budgeting for upgrades and repairs (which anyone who owns a building should do). Also, when's the election? I see Connie Henderson running for county commission on a platform of "responsible budgeting to sustain our county's most precious resources." Or something like that. :-)
ReplyDeleteI live in a different county. Most other Counties budget for County Buildings..not so in Hubbard County. I think there should be some kind of referendum:(
DeleteJust stopped by to visit your blog and I am left at a loss for words. So sorry that you had to endure the ignorance of others.....
ReplyDeleteI would have had a difficult time maintaining my composure. You work so hard to showcase local history, to increase awareness and to keep the museum going, and then to have someone like that make such a cavalier remark. Geesh.
ReplyDeleteThe Board Members ought to be afraid... be veerry afraid - she has a list!!
Holy cow, Connie! You are one busy and brave lady to take on all that work. I don't think I would even want to try to keep up with 18 to 24 year olds either.
ReplyDeleteThe hole in the floor has really got my attention. I like one of the kid's ideas about an out house.
ReplyDeleteSad that there's so little political support for such a worthy project.
Interesting to see the newspaper article bills the building as the county's "crown jewel." It certainly doesn't seem as if they treat it that way...
ReplyDeleteWOW!:( I think everyone else has said it all. I can see you one day reaching the point of 'the straw that broke the camel's back'. How frustrating.
ReplyDeleteReally?!? Speechless...
ReplyDelete