June 7, 2022 – A week in the life of FILA

People may not understand how much work goes on behind the scenes to make island time productive. This post reflects this week in FILA.

Shown here: restored original window sash, recreated sash for missing windows, custom offset hinges for shutters, shutter dogs from “House of Antiques”, refurbished metal window stops for the skeletal tower….delivered today to the DNR from  volunteers in Muskegon who coordinate many of our offseason projects.

Yesterday, a team of volunteers and Board members spent hours developing a plan to get lumber, cement and materials like this to the island. To put our efforts in perspective, this is our third set of plans after two earlier scenarios fell through. This place is hard to get to and restoration requires a lot of stuff. Suffice to say, it’s challenging.

A Board member from our “Sunday crew” is arranging to get landscaping equipment repaired and buying a new grant-funded blower to help improve sidewalk maintenance. (That’s an interesting story in itself…the station has an extensive network of sidewalks connecting the buildings….an assessment last year suggested the best thing we could do to extend their life was to keep them free of debris and water.) Toward this effort, another Board member donated an edger that went out Sunday.

A carpenter team from South Bend, IN made the final purchases of supplies for their team (to be reimbursed….we’re grateful for people’s labor but do offer to make volunteers “whole” financially for direct supplies for the island.)

Yet another team is meeting by zoom Wednesday to help make sure they have everything ready for their projects.

Am thinking there’s a team organizing paint supplies for our next trip.

Our thanks to the efforts of Mark, Peter, Carl, Doug, John, Karen, Cathy, Linda, Kathy, Phil, Jim, Marty & Tom whose efforts are reflected here.

Care to join us?