Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – Snowmobile season may be pretty much over for the year, but work is just beginning for members of the Presque Isle Snowmobile Club as efforts get under way to raise the funds necessary to rebuild the clubhouse destroyed by fire in January of this year.
“The Presque Isle Snowmobile Club will kick off their rebuilding fund-raising campaign with a Mother’s Day Dinner Dance on Saturday, May 9, at the Aroostook Shrine Club,” said Dave Steeves, chair of the Rebuilding Committee.
In addition to Steeves, the Rebuilding Committee includes: Karen Hilt, Bonnie Steeves, Michelle and Howie Cushman, Ingrid Allen, Bob Besaw, Barry Bartley, Caston Lovely, John Graves, Bill Cleaves, Ted Roberts, Norm Driscoll and Steve Sweetser.
According to Connie Driscoll, a member of the Club’s Board of Directors, the clubhouse will be constructed at the site of the club’s former home.
Steeves said while other locations were considered, it was determined the former site was the best-suited for this purpose, since it already had out buildings, a foundation, a well and septic system.
“We are going to rebuild the clubhouse, in the same place and out of logs,” said Driscoll in a letter on the Club’s Web site, www.presqueislesnowmobileclub.com.
Driscoll said a potluck supper was held March 28 at the Presque Isle Fish and Game Club as an opportunity to get input from those interested in the reconstruction project.
Meetings have taken place on a regular basis since the fire, with club officials actively seeking input from members and outside sources. One such source has been Pam Buck, of Buck Construction and an NMCC instructor, who has been working with Club representatives to determine certain construction guidelines.
“Our first meeting was to get a plan in order. Pam was invited to speak to us in general terms about what we need to be on the lookout for with regard to rebuilding, codes, changes in permit needs, etc. Although some things will be grandfathered, there are new construction codes that will need to be considered,” said Steeves, in a letter on the Club’s Web site.
Some of the items that have to be addressed involve the number of occupants various building sizes will allow, sprinkler requirements and handicap-accessibility codes for public facilities.
“Our building falls under an ‘assembly occupancy test’ category. It’s the strictest of categories and is based on the number of people. Room size as well is determined by the number of people,” said Steeves in his letter.
Steeves said members were asked what they’d like to see in a new clubhouse, if there wasn’t a limit on construction cost. With a ‘wish list’ of sorts now in place, officials now have the task of reviewing suggestions and coming up with workable ideas to fit the funds available.
While the club was insured at the time of the fire, Steeves said it had been discovered only a short time before the tragedy that the facility was actually underinsured. Club members had planned to vote on increasing the insurance at their Feb. 3 meeting but unfortunately the fire occurred on Jan. 25, just days before a vote was to be cast on the matter.
“Yes, we were (insured) and we were only days from increasing our level of coverage. A review of our insurance, prompted by Norm’s (Driscoll, club president) accident, revealed that our clubhouse was only insured for 70 percent of its value. Increasing that coverage was on the agenda for our February meeting. We were nine days short,” wrote Steeves. “With the 70 percent in mind, and as our plans come together and final figures come from the insurance company, a fund-raising effort will need to be put forward. We will be counting on your support to rebuild our snowmobile clubhouse.”
The Mother’s Day event is just one of many the Club hopes to hold in coming months, with proceeds going toward reconstructing the clubhouse.
“The menu will be stuffed chicken breast and baked stuffed haddock with all the fixings, along with home-cooked pies. Social time is at 5:30 p.m., with dinner at 6 p.m. and the dance, with music provided by Sound Friendships to follow from 8 to 11 p.m.,” said Steeves.
Tickets are limited and are available for $15 per person in advance or, if any remain, $20 at the door per person.
“Tickets are available at Chandler Farms, Harry’s Motor Sports, Inc., The Sled Shop and Wilder’s Jewelry,” said Steeves.
The Club is also seeking copies of photos of the old clubhouse. If anyone has snapshots of past events at the facility, either hard copies or digital, please let the Club know.
For more information, contact Steeves at 764-6049.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
TEAM EFFORT — Members of the Presque Isle Snowmobile Club took time from serving soups and all the fixings to get their picture taken with Andy Santerre Feb. 7 at the Aroostook Shrine Club in Presque Isle. This marked the second year the club hosted the Andy Santerre Sno-Run, an annual snowmobile ride that benefits AMHC’s Sexual Assault Services. Following the recent fire that destroyed the group’s clubhouse, the Shrine Club, on short notice, generously offered use of their Houlton Road facility for the luncheon that fed over 125 participants. PISC members pictured with Santerre, from left: Karen Hilt, Helen Steeves, Ted Roberts, Carolyn Roberts, Santerre, PISC President Norm Driscoll and Sandy Bartley.
