Elks Lodge begins fund raising for upgrades needed to stay open
The Farmington Elks Lodge on School Street needs upgrades to its fire sprinkler system and kitchen in order to pass the state Fire Marshal's Office inspection and be able to stay open.
WEST FARMINGTON - The state's Fire Marshal's Office has given the Farmington Elks Lodge members one year to get the 42-year-old lodge (corrected) at 120 School Street up to fire safety code standards in order to continue to stay open.
Besides Elks meetings, weddings and other receptions, many area charitable fund-raising events are held at the well-utilized two-story building. The estimate to get everything fixed in order to pass the fire marshal's inspection by July 2, 2013 totals $20,000, said Barbara Tripp, manager of the Farmington Elks Lodge No. 2430.
"That's a lot of money for us," she said, adding the lodge simply does not currently have the money for the upgrades required.
Required is a new fire alarm system installed throughout the building, which is expected to cost $6,000. The balance, an estimated $14,000, is needed to bring the downstairs kitchen into compliance with fire safety code regulations.
"Public safety is the number one concern and the kitchen is not in compliance," Tripp said. A new industrial-size stove hood and exhaust system needs to be replaced. Paneling throughout the kitchen area needs to be taken down and replaced with fire resistant sheet metal wall siding. A grill mounted on a wooden cabinet needs to be replaced with a metal cabinet. Grease from the grill can spatter onto the wood cabinet causing a fire hazard, Tripp said.
In addition, the hand-held fire extinguishers in the kitchen need to be much bigger than the current models available.
"We have until July 2 to get everything done and reinspected for permitting," she said.
The financial difficulty is that the lodge has already taken out a loan for a new air conditioning system and parking lot upgrades.
Instead of taking out another loan for the fix up, lodge members will be holding a series of fund-raising events to help pay to bring the building up to code. The first major benefit is set for Saturday, Aug. 18 when a horseshoe tournament, motorcycle show and pig roast will be held at the lodge.
Same-day registration for the horseshoe tournament (with 75 percent cash pay back) starts at 10 a.m. The bike show starts at 4 p.m. with prizes for people's choice, vintage and best of show. The pig roast will be served at 5 p.m.
In addition, the Friday open kitchen nights will continue unless other events are scheduled for the same time. The public is invited, with a portion of the proceeds going towards the building fund. Various dinner items are served up from 4 to 7:30 p.m. It's best to ask a lodge member or call 778-6761to find out which Fridays the kitchen is open.
Tripp said donations are always appreciated. "We can only ask of our members for so much," she said. For more information, call the lodge at 778-6761.
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When was the last time in the State of Maine that someone was killed or seriously injured in a fire in Maine where people were not sleeping in the building... I challenge the Fire Marshall to produce...
I agree with will. We have slum lord housing in our area where children are sleeping in conditions unfit for rats but fire marshalls drunk with authority love to harrass commercial interests, hardly ever looking at these 'beehive' apartments unless someone is already hurt. If the insurance provider is happy with the lodge then fire marshalls should find something useful to do.
Well said Captain.
The Fire Marshal is just doing his job, and enforcing the laws enacted to protect the public. It doesn't sound like he was "drunk with authority" as he gave them 1 year fix the problems. Most of the marshal's I've had contact with are willing to work with you as long as you are honestly attempting to address the problems...
Again the intent of this article was to inform the public that the Elk's are looking to raise money to fix the problems, not to bash the fire marshal, however every article here becomes a negative attack on unrelated topics...
The talk is all well and good but does nothing. The Lodge has done a lot of good over the years. I don't have much, lean times all around, but I'll donate $100. I wish I could do more.
Thanks everyone for your support, as members of the community we do need to take in consideration of their safety as well as our members. The building is old (not sure how old) and does need some modern up grade and this happens to be a few of them. the bad part is the cost is to much for us to bare with out our communities support.
To set the record straight. That building is not 42 years old. The Lodge itself is 42 years old, but the building was built in 1895 or 1896.
Time to Pay Back: We here at the Farmington Elks received a donation of $100.00 from an 80 year old women that the Elks helped 35 years ago. When her grand daughter was born she needed a special machine to help her keep breathing, so the Elks gave her the money that was needed to get it so her grand daughter could to survive. So would like to thank her very much for $100.00 donation. She is on a fixed income and found it in her heart to pay it forward. Once again thank you for your generosity.
Hello Barb , please put me down for $100.00 as well . Also one and all may review my antique motor cycle at the event . Enjoy