Fundraising and Building Maintenance

[Owatonna Divers Club]

I wanted to take a few minutes to update you on the status of the fundraising and ongoing building maintenance projects.

 

As many of you have read in the monthly Newsletter, the club house has needed some overdue repairs.  We came in last spring and found that the snow melt run-off had run into the club house meeting room.  Thanks to those who mopped up the mess.  Unfortunately, there was damage to the walls and floor.  After careful inspection and discussion among club members, we determined that ground surrounding the club house, and the sidewalk on the east side, had settled and the water was flowing toward the building – not away, as it should.  If we didn't correct those, any repairs we did to the meeting room walls and floor would be wasted as the rain and snow melt would return and ruin anything we did.

 

While we were inspecting the building in preparation for installing gutters, we could see that the roof was also in bad shape.  It was just a matter of time before we'd start having water seep in from above as well as from bellow.

 

Last year, we had the building repair fundraiser and the members were generous enough to donate a grand total of $2,855.00.  Thank you very much.

 

Last year was a very expensive year. This is the breakdown of what the money was spent on:

 

1)      New Roof                            $5,876

2)      New Gutters                      $950

3)      Repair Sidewalk                $735

 

We had some other expenses that went along with some of these projects.  Some of the club members donated their time and covered the expense of those projects.

 

1)      Drain tile was installed along the west wall

2)      The ground in the west yard was regarded to slope away

 

Thanks to those club members who brought their heavy equipment, tools, shovels, sweat, and muscles.  Thanks also to those club members who have taken their time to get bids and looked into hiring contractors or doing the work ourselves.  Thanks too to those club members who have attended and patiently sat through meetings where we've discussed these projects.  I know you'd rather be discussing trip plans, but I appreciate your time and participation.

 

Now that the water seepage problems are corrected, the club has some inside repairs to get done this fall/winter.  These are some expensive repairs and seeing as how the clubs only income is from its dues taken in from the members it kind of hurts our pocket book. 

 

The club used to get quite a bit of its money from teaching classes.  Unfortunately the days of 20, 30, and even 40 student class sizes are a thing of the past.  When we get only 2 – 6 students for a class, it's hard to make any money.  The clubs funds are running lower than what I like.  That is why it is important to pay your dues and to even try to recruit new members or students for the classes.

 

If anyone has any ideas on how the club can raise more money please let us know or stop down on a meeting night and tell us.

 

                                                               

Troy Matejcek

President

Owatonna Divers Club

PO Box 232

Owatonna, MN 55060