Auntie ABATE / “Cuz” Report

Dear Cuz,

I’ve heard a lot about the cost of our pavilion at ABATE Acres. It seems every time I turn around, we need to raise extra money to get it built. What’s up?

Misinformed or What?

Dear M or W,

Good question. When the pavilion was first talked about, we had a rough idea of what the building should be and a rough idea of what it would cost us, however once we got into the nuts and bolts of it (no pun intended) we realized that we were way off. Originally thinking that we could build the structure for $60-$70,000, we soon found out that the cost would be double that figure. Why? Because material costs have soared during COVID along with labor, delivery (fuel costs), etc. Add to that the need for WI State approved engineered building plans (because it is not just for storage, but members will be underneath it), and the fact that we are north of Hwy 10 which is a dividing line for snow load restrictions in Wisconsin (and we do get a lot of snow.) A structure that will conform to all of the building codes necessary and be sturdy and efficient enough for us to use in the long term, comes with costs. ABATE members on the land committee and the Board of Directors have enough forethought to realize that if we build it, it should be built well and be something that will be beneficial to the organization for years to come….so we bite the bullet and keep raising money to pay for s sturdy building using donations. No money from the general fund will be used on this project. Can’t wait to have it paid for. Can’t wait to see it completed. If you can’t wait either and want to contribute to the cause, send your donations to Laurie Thompson % Pavilion Fund.

“Cuz”