Grants for Scout Hut secured

A final push over the last few weeks raised the remaining $3,800 needed for Albany Scouts to qualify for two pledged matching grants, totaling $30,000, toward the proposed $95,000 Scout Hut building. 

The local Scouts had to raise a grand total of $65,000 by last Saturday’s Sept. 1 deadline or lose the promised grant. 

Recent donations of $28,200 had already been added to $33,000 accumulated over several years, but as of a few weeks ago, the fund was still almost $4,000 short of the target.

“At the last minute, we ended up just meeting the goal for the grant money,” said project organizer Teri Lucas. “We have officially been awarded the funding.”

Lucas added that the fundraising drive has not yet ended.

“We are hoping to get more donations toward the building project, because costs have increased since we first determined the anticipated price of the building,” said Lucas. “The concrete has been poured, and it ended up costing more than when it was bid, and it isn’t the only thing that has gone up.”

Lucas said that although metal was purchased months ago, to lock in that price, other items have also become more expensive.

“The cost of insulation has risen, and prices on a lot of other things as well,” Lucas said. “We are very grateful that most of our suppliers are trying to keep prices and hourly costs down as low as they possibly can in order to help us out.”

Lucas’ son Ricky is heading up the building project and he brings in others to help when needed.

“The main framework is made of I-beam, and it is set up,” said Lucas. “Girts and purlins still need to be added to the framework before the outside metal can be attached. We hope to be able to be in the building by November, depending upon weather delays, even if it is not all the way finished.”

Donations for the Scout Hut can be mailed to Teri Lucas, P.O. Box 3034, Albany TX 76430, and checks should be made out to BSA Building Fund.