The image at the top of this email shows the drastic progress that's been made in Whitmore Hall over the course of just a few months. Work has progressed to the framing, essentials, really, of several rooms in the building. Of the improvements that have taken place at the hands of dedicated volunteers, electricians, contractors, and plumbers, one of the most stunning is the renovation of the second floor bathroom. The above image is of the space prior to insulation and drywall work. Contractor Pete Weiland expects to make significant progress in closing in the walls this weekend over the course of SFAC's Volunteer Saturday.

Significantly expanded to two separate spaces to accommodate both genders, the bathroom is still in process of transformation. Jacob Peterson, SFAC Volunteer Coordinator, spoke with Eric Dow (pictured below), one of the key figures in campus restoration since the grassroots effort began in 2011. Eric has headed up multiple phases in the Whitmore Hall revitalization, and, most recently, several component pieces in the bathroom expansion and improvement project.

While the building was in use last summer, several pressing issues became apparent. Eric states, "the upstairs girls bathroom had some serious plumbing problems; there were sewage leaks into the lower room through the ceiling."

According to Eric, some of the greatest challenges faced in undertaking the project were removing around 8,000 pounds of concrete from the floor of the original 12 by 12 space, replacing broken joists beneath the original floor, and stripping the entire room to the studs.

"Replacing the floor joists was a big deal," Eric says, "because it involved ripping out the whole ceiling of the room below, then building it all back." He continues, "there was a lot of deconstruction; the original walls were lathe and plaster, which was in really rough shape; they had put drywall over that, and all of that had to come off." The following two photos are from recent Volunteer Saturdays, showing demolition and the trucking of construction debris, images courtesy of James Poulson:

Work is in progress elsewhere, inside and outside Whitmore, as well. The Douglas fir floors in three rooms are being restored to their original aesthetic.

Volunteers have also created a dedicated space for a flower bed in front of the building, and the plan is to continue work in that area in the coming Volunteer Saturdays. 

There are several ways to get involved with the continual transformation taking place around Sitka Fine Arts Camp. If you would like to contribute to a Volunteer Saturday, either via presence and effort on campus, or via contribution of food to the lunches that go along with Volunteer Saturdays, please feel free to do so. The next Volunteer Saturday takes place tomorrow, March 7th (details in the sidebar). Another way to become involved in the effort is by donating directly to the restoration of Whitmore Hall by clicking here.