Where we stand now

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Construction on part of our new school just started. But we still have to raise or find funding for “non-academic” infrastructure, such as some amenities, a new gym for the high school and more.

To help, you can take a walk, literally. Walk across Grand Coulee Dam (only allowed during this event) and donate to the cause this weekend, Saturday May 11 and get a T-shirt too. Registration Friday after 5 p.m. at North Dam Park in Grand Coulee, then also Saturday morning at Mason City Park in Coulee Dam at 7:30.

The walk starts at 8:30 Saturday morning, after That Dam Run racers have all started.

T-shirt design for the walk

Workers put the ground to the right level in preparation for construction.

T-shirt design for the walk

Most of our project is funded — but not all

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Thanks to all for the critical support

An unbelievable breakthrough in financing occurred as the Washington State Legislature met in its final special session in April, 2012.

Inserted in the capital budget was enough money to build the new school, at least the academically related portion. Thanks to State Sen. Linda Evan Parlette, who made sure the language stayed in the budget, we’ll have our school building!

The funds available at this point will not build athletic fields or event parking, but the fact that we’ll have a new building for our kids to attend is a huge boost to the community.

Much of that has to do with those of you who have shown your support by attending event fundraisers or even just signing up as a supporter on this site. Huge thanks to all!

The work here continues, however, because to complete the plan, we still have several million to raise. No, that won’t all come from the community, but showing our support is just as critical as ever, probably more so. Stay tuned.

Spaghetti feed tonight

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Support the cause tonight at the Pasta Dinner

Show your support for the new schools project and vision by attending the Rotary Club’s pasta dinner at North Dam Park tonight.
You can visit with friends and neighbors and chat with triathletes while filling your belly with good food and supporting our community’s most important longterm project.
Dinner with all the fixins is served from 4 to 8 pm, or until the food is gone. Last year, people raved about the food.
See you there!

We’ve got a great start and need to remain ready

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If you’re thinking that, given the current political/economic climate today, any search for federal funds to be built is unlikely to succeed, think again. One thing is certain about political climates: they change. And when this one does, this community needs to be ready to leap on opportunities to fund this project, in addition to what the community itself has raised.

Efforts to raise money for an eventual new school have cleared nearly $8,000 since the local Rotary Club challenged the community to come up with ways to contribute to the effort, club officials say.

The Grand Coulee Dam Rotary Club announced last fall that it would take on a facilitating role in the cause, allowing its tax-free status to allow individuals and organizations to make tax-deductible gifts.

Since, then the club has gained more than $3,000 in contributions from individuals and businesses and cleared more than $3,600 in the Walk the Dam, Build a School fundraiser held during Colorama.

Other contribution to the “Our Schools, Their Future” drive have included other independent groups.

The Native American Club at Lake Roosevelt High School solicited $307.23 with a blanket dance during a basketball halftime.

The PEO organization raised $380, and the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce contributed $400 after a Colorama T-shirt sale.

People can also make contributions through this website.

Contributions to Our Schools, Their Future

Individuals/Businesses: $3055.00

PEO: $380.00

Blanket Dance: $307.23

Walk the Dam: $3615.36

Chamber: $400.00

Total: $7757.59

Commerce group to launch fund raiser for new school

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A nice design to help folks feel good about supporting their community.

The local chamber of commerce plans to roll out a new Colorama t-shirt as a fund-raiser, giving half the profits to Our Schools, Their Future.

The back of the shirt will sport a great design similar to what you see at right, designed by Richie Button of buttonit.

The shirts will retail for $20, and pre-ordering will be available soon on the chamber’s website.

Thanks to the Native American Club for new funds

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The Native American Club at Lake Roosevelt High School put on a mini-powwow at half time during a recent basketball game and took a blanket around for people to throw money into. And they did!

This is the cash raised during halftime by the Native American Club.

The donations were for this effort to build a new school. The club raised just over $300 in a few minutes, while providing what seemed to be a very appreciated halftime activity — a circle dance.

That’s where everyone forms a huge circle sidestepping to the beat. The circle becomes two concentric circles, with the inside dancers facing the outside dancers, while everyone shakes hands in warm ceremony of welcome and friendship.

We thank everyone who participate and who donated, including several folks from Chelan who were there for the game.

Although the activity took only a few minutes, we’re also mindful of the effort that went into it by those who organized and by those who went to the trouble of bringing their regalia, which helped make the event special. I know I saw a lot of delighted faces in the crowd.

Minipowwow at halftime from Scott Hunter on Vimeo.

On our gathering mid-December

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The community meeting went quite well, I thought. Jim Keene, who used to be the superintendent of the school district in the early 90s, did a great job of putting the challenges into perspective.

Jim noted that 25 years ago, local people were asking whether it wasn’t time to upgrade our local facilities. The Keene’s three children attended the district, a fact they recall now with pride.

There were about as many folks there as I had thought would be able to show in mid-December (looked like around 30; I didn’t actually count), and several diverse groups were represented, showing support.

Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers‘ aide, Sheila Stalp, attended with encouraging words. “This seems to me to be one of the most worthwhile projects that Cathy McMorris Rodgers can be involved in,” she said.

She said our representative in Congress for the 5th District in Washington would be heartened to find progress and efforts like that meeting and this website. She urged community members to put aside differences they may have in order to come together on this project, noting, “the unity issue in the community is huge to the congresswoman.”

Entities represented included Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, PEO, the Grand Coulee Dam Senior Center, and the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, and probably some I’m forgetting right now.

How many new school efforts can boast the support of the local senior center?

Were you there? What did you think? Were you not there, but wanted to be? If so, what would you have liked to have learned or said?

Community meeting set for December 15

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The letters are out, a community meeting is planned. Will YOU attend?
The Rotary Club is inviting representatives of every group, employer, government entity and anybody who cares about our community to a Dec. 15 meeting on the new school effort.

It’s a busy time of year, but the push can’t wait.

“Our community needs new schools, and it will take everyone on a community team to make it happen,” states a letter of invitation sent out recently.

The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. at the annex of the Community Church in Coulee Dam.

Here's a map

Nice Vets Day assembly – despite the noise

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It’s a good thing Wednesday was a decent day. Lake Roosevelt students held an assembly in the gym to honor several veterans for Veteran’s Day.

Students hold an assembly to honor veterans

The assembly was briefly disrupted when very loud banging thundered through the air just as the colors were about to be retired. Someone rushed outside to get the roofers to stop the ruckus. They were working on repairing the roofs of the school.

After all, the roof over the gym leaked so badly in October that a volleyball match had to be canceled.

Welcome support from some new community partners

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This morning my wife and I had breakfast at Pepper Jacks with Stefan and Melissa Newberry, the new owners of the Grand Columbian Triathlon.

They are excited about making the race a community event, and to turn it into a fund raiser for our new school effort!

This is the kind of support we’re looking for, and we should all appreciate Stefan and Melissa’s desire to support the community.
They are actually trying to build their business of running races with this give-back ethic. And you can check out their plans and current schedule at their TriFreaks.com site.

I think we should add a page here devoted to such Community Partners. What do you think?