Barn remodel opens door for youth winter activities
Linda Sappington
Fred Grant, 4-H shooting sports leader, acknowledges receipt of an $11,000 grant from the Polson Rotary, represented by Larry Ashcraft, Polson Rotary president-elect. Also pictured from left are Sjaan Vincent, Friends of the Fairgrounds; Karen McLeod, 4-H dog project leader; Jim Harrod, Mission Valley Mariners; Ed Larson, 4-H shooting sports; Gypsy Ray, Lake County Community Development Corporation; Dee Dee Blaney, Polson Rotary president.
Linda Sappington
Prior to remodeling, the horticulture barn has open beams and walls that are not insulated.
Linda Sappington
Courtesy photo Baseball players with the Mission Valley Mariners use sweat equity to install drywall in the horticulture barn.
Linda Sappington
Linda Sappington
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A county-wide community effort is transforming the horticulture barn at the Lake County Fairgrounds into an insulated, heated expansive space where youth can hone their skills — even in the frigid winter.
The barn, built in 1961, is used each year by 4-H shooting and 4-H dog training projects and Mariners baseball practice. It’s come to the rescue as a “fallout shelter” when unexpected summer showers threaten outdoor events. But dim lighting and lack of heat made the venue unbearable at times.
“The Mariners use it for practice when it’s 16 (degrees) outside and 6 (degrees) inside,” said Sjaan Vincent, member of the Friends of the Fairgrounds.
The barn has benefited collegiate athletes, too.
Morgan Ray, Frenchtown High School’s 2015 state-winning softball pitcher who now pitches for Ohio State, wrote a thank you note to the Friends of the Fairgrounds: “Thank you so much for letting me come and use the Barn during Christmas break. There is no other indoor training facility in this area, so I wouldn’t have been able to keep up with my workout program without your help and support.”
The “ReBarn Project” — coined by Jack Stivers, Montana State University extension agent — had several challenges that were not letting the project get off the ground, according to Vincent.
“We were struggling with the ‘how to’ of this project,” she said. “It wasn’t a sow’s ear, but it wasn’t a silk purse either.”
Along came an anonymous local building company who spent countless hours donating not only time and equipment, “but also materials and know how,” according to Vincent.
Work included rewiring and the installation of seven new trusses to support a dropped and insulated ceiling. Existing lights were lowered and with the enclosed and painted white ceiling, the room is now bright.
Mission Valley Mariners baseball players spent hours providing “sweat equity while installing drywall. Other youth chipped in as well.
“The Lake County 4-H kids held many work days to meet a matching funds grant from a private donor, and they also sold raffle tickets to raise money for the project,” Vincent said.
The remodel of the Horticulture Barn was a project undertaken by the Friends of the Fairgrounds. Friends of the Fairgrounds (or FOG as they call themselves) is a volunteer group that helps raise funds and volunteers time to improve the Fairgrounds facility. The group is under the non-profit umbrella of Lake County Community Development Corporation that supports the group with grant writing and other efforts.
The project is the brainchild of Stivers and the Montana Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife. While visiting the Lake County Fair, the sportsmen saw a need for a safe, secure and warm facility for youth to practice year-round, and soon contributed $10,000 to the project to get the ball rolling.
From there it just caught fire, according to Vincent.
The Polson Rotary jumped right in with a grant of $11,000.
Lake County Community Development aided in the grant writing process for several successful grants including the Polson Rotary grant and $4,000 from the Plum Creek Foundation.
Western Building Centers helped with donations, materials costs and “getting the best deal possible on materials, as well as being a great source of information and advice,” Vincent said.
Boyce Lumber of Missoula donated insulation, Polson Insulation contributed the moisture barrier, and True Value Hardware helped with the cost of the paint.
Other contributors include the Mission Valley Shooting Club, Pete and Dolores Weaver, Nori Pearce, Ronan Chamber of Commerce, Lake County 4-H Council, Lake County 4-H Market Livestock Committee, Lower Flathead Community Foundation, the Jarecki Foundation, Dr. LeRoy Hoversland, Woodwind Farm and Dr. Nancy Eachern of Arizona.
“Dan Miller and the City of Ronan were very helpful adding guidance and information to help comply with code requirement, and helping with permitting costs,” Vincent said. “’When courage, genius, and generosity hold hands, all things are possible,’ (author unknown). I think the ReBarn project is a great example.”
