FLAHS receives grants, donations to upgrade facilities
FIFE LAKE – The Fife Lake Area Historical Society was recently able to upgrade its facilities, thanks to financial gift from the Great Lakes Energy People Fund and the Forest Area Credit Union.
According to FLAHS officials, the local group received a total of $6,500 combined from the two organizations.
“The Fife Lake Historical Society is pleased to announce that we were the recipient of a $5,000 grant from the Great Lakes Energy People Fund,” said FLAHS board member Noreen Broering, who also serves as the organization’s vice president and marketing chair. “The grant was used to help with the financing of new flooring in our museum.
“The previous flooring was very old and had mold in several places,” she added. “This was potentially hazardous to the health of our visitors and was very unsightly. We were so happy to replace it with beautiful laminate vinyl planking that replicates old barn wood.”
Additionally, a $1,500 gift from FACU was used to complete upgrades to the FLAHS’ video viewing area. That included refinishing the building’s original yellow pine wood floor, a 5-foot by 30-foot mural of photos depicting life in the late 1800s, as well as the purchase of a new large-screen TV.
“Both were very generous gifts,” Broering said. “And, we’ve had a lot of individual donations from the community.
“By making these upgrades … we can now ensure that visitors have a safe and healthy experience when visiting our beautiful museum.”
An official check presentation ceremony was held at the local museum on Tuesday, Sept. 10, with Shari Culver, Great Lakes Energy vice president of community and member services, on hand for the event.
“We actually got the money earlier, so we got the flooring already put in,” Broering added. “We were able to show (Culver) what we’d used it for.
“It all worked out wonderfully,” she added.
The FLAHS museum is located at 136 E. State St. in Fife Lake. For more information, call 231-879-3342 or visit the group’s Facebook page by searching: “Fife Lake Area Historical Society.”