The Daylodge project is finally on the way! What a difference 72 hours makes. And the progress will be rapid from here on in! Our major battle with getting an engineered plan for the foundation went on for an aching 8 weeks and we waited two weeks for the 40+ custom screw piles to be fabricated. And, all the while the resort engineer was waiting for the ground to dry so the top dressing of the parking area and road could be placed.

This week, there will be a crew from Kamloops driving the screw piles into the ground where the stakes are set, so that the foundation can be set upon them. This change in the structural plan is costing us an additional $30,000 above the budgeted cost of the ground prep. Ugh!

We also have decided to go with geothermal and of the two quotes we got, we decided to have John Managh's Hellbent company do this for us. It will be drilled within the next two weeks. This will mean much less firewood handling.

The poles for our powerline are in town and we await writing of contracts for putting the powerline in place. The well and septic are also on the plan but awaiting further details. Thanks to James Ross for his work on this.

We have been fund raising and want everyone to be a part of funding this project. Money is very tight. The "Adopt-A-Log" fundraiser is simple: Drop by the Golden Gear Exchange and adopt as many logs as you wish for $50 per log. As an adoptee, you will have your name or message on a log of the daylodge.

Also, today (August 15) we had a successful work party go at the firewood pile, with a great effort from Steve and Linda Conway, Liam Raudaschl, Kellie Erwin, Joan Dolinsky and me bucking, splitting, loading and stacking for about 5 hours.

This pile is still not done and we ask that other members take up the charge: the pile is just off the new parking area at the north end of Dipsy Doodle.

If you buck and stack a truckload (our stack is at the North end of the stadium) you can take home a load. Good deal (exclusively for club members only). We sold a load to KH homeowners today as well. I think there is about 3-4 cords left in the pile. The pile has been shaken up by excavator to get the dirt out. It is dry fir and pine. Email Jeff for further instructions. If you plan to go, please note that the road building continues and you may need to go through the upper access (Cedar Ridge subdivision). If you go after 5PM the place should be Quiet, otherwise there will be lots of activity with trucks and machinery, so you may not get access. If it is hot, don't go. We must avoid burning the place up.

To see photos of the project, check out the link to our daylodge page. These are the first we are posting. We will be needing a huge number of hours volunteered through the next two months. Let Wayne Manzer know by email  (kutenaiuniserve [dot] com (email Wayne here)) if you can come for a day or more. Then we can contact you when we are ready for your help. This could include staining lumber, helping erect the walls, clean up, chinking, etc. This is your big chance to really help out.

Again, my goal is to see this project comes together before snow flies and it will be a challenge. The real issue is the additional costs which were very much unanticipated. Another grant or two and some good donations are necessary.

Jeff Dolinsky