Some of the board members, along with our family got to explore the Grand gym/school for the first time. Entering the doors on a rainy day really showed us where each and every leak was. Starting on the west side, we entered the room to the back of the gym, which used to be the head start kindergarten/preschool room. It is in really good condition. This has the potential to be a daycare center. The stage has a solid nice finished floor just like the gym. Above the stage there was leaking and pooling onto the stage. The floor was still solid and seemed unbothered by the puddling water. Wes hopes to patch the leak immediately. The gym looks so good, such a beautiful gym with strong structure and bleachers, scoreboard are all in tack and in good shape. Unfortunately the basketball hoops were removed and taken. There are lots of rooms around the gym that will be part of what is going to be saved. There is a large shop, several classrooms, an office, lunchroom, and lots of restrooms and lockers. The lockers we have hopes of making into public storm shelters. There is obvious damage from kids vandalism. There is a hallway that leads into the old section of the school. Because it has been left untouched with roof leaks, much of it is in rough shape. There is water damage, mold, debris, paint peeling from walls, etc. I still don't have a very good sense of smell, I cannot smell things unless theyre quite strong. I knew the air quality was poor, I could feel it. I could only imagine what it smelled like and I couldn't wait to get home and take a shower. I was in the school only a couple hours. The boys and Mark spent two days. We tried to salvage what we could out of the old school by moving it into the new section. A dozen or more desks, chairs, filing cabinets, books, etc. I salvaged about 100 5th grade books that I am going to rehome. I just hate to see useful things wasted. Mark took out some of the older doors and hopes to use them somewhere later on. The old gym was used as a wrestling room for several years. Back in the early school days they played basketball in the tiny space. I could not imagine playing basketball in that little space with the walls all around it. It is pretty rough now. It was great to see the school. Mark gave us his personal tour and I turned on my video camera as he told memories of teachers, students, experiences, and more.
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