Strawberry Lake residents raising funds for new community center
Construction on the Connections 34 Community Center is tentatively slated to begin this spring; the 4,000-square-foot building will be located just north of the Strawberry Lake Store. The construction of a new community center for residents of the Strawberry Lake area is set to begin this spring, with the building named the Connections 34 Community Center. The nonprofit organization, led by Justin Swiers, has been working to build the facility for several years and is aiming to be used by all residents regardless of their faith. The building will be named after the nonprofit organization's mission statement: "A faith-based community outreach that seeks to glorify the Lord in service to others, while focusing on building meaningful relationships." So far, the group has raised over $75,000 through donations and silent auction events. The cost of the project is expected to be somewhere north of $200,000.
Опубликовано : 4 недели назад от Vicki Gerdes в
DETROIT LAKES — Construction on a new community center for residents of the Strawberry Lake area is tentatively slated to begin this spring, according to organizers.
The building will be called the Connections 34 Community Center, named after the nonprofit organization that has been working to build it for several years now.
"We're a 501(c)(3) nonprofit," says Justin Swiers, who is a member of the Connections 34 board of directors as well as the community center building committee.
The organization's name came, in part, from the proximity of the proposed building site to Becker County Highway 34. The "connections" part of it encapsulates the organization's mission statement: "A faith-based community outreach that seeks to glorify the Lord in service to others, while focusing on building meaningful relationships."
Though the facility will be built just north of the Strawberry Lake Mennonite Church, it is intended for use by all residents of Strawberry Lake and the surrounding area, regardless of their faith.
Justin's mother, Pat Swiers, says that he was the one who initially came up with the idea of building a community center. "We have an outdoor basketball court outside the church that people can come in and use anytime they want to, along with a large playground and play area," she said, adding that Justin envisioned the facility to be used year-round, by everyone in the surrounding community.
"This project has been in the works for several years," Justin said, adding that it was first proposed about seven years ago. "We wanted to have a place outside the church where people could gather and build relationships and have fun together."
The project slowly began to gain momentum — up until the spring of 2020 and the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. "We had a rough cost estimate of $125,000, but that was before the pandemic," Justin Swiers said, noting that he expects the cost to be somewhere north of $200,000 when all is said and done.
"We've raised just over $75,000 so far," he added, noting that nearly all of it has come in the form of donations, as well as a few silent auction events.
They've also organized an annual broomball tournament that has been a successful source of funding for about six years now, Justin said.
Current plans call for a 52-by-80-foot building with 20-foot sidewalls, taking up roughly 4,160 square feet of space. It will house a small gymnasium, meeting rooms, a kitchen, and an open seating area for family and community gatherings.
"One of the other things that there's been an interest in is a community day care," Justin said, adding that it's "in the works," but there's nothing concrete to share as yet.
The building design, site preparation work, surveying and legal documentation have all been completed, and the driveway and parking lot are "nearly done," he said. The group is hoping to begin construction yet this spring, but they have a bit more fundraising to do first.
"Anyone who would like to get involved, or make a donation, is welcome to do so," Pat Swiers said.
The organization has a website, connections34.org, and a Facebook page at facebook.com/connections34 that is "still pretty new," she added, though more information will be added to both the Facebook page and the website as the project progresses. The community center also has an official address, at 33636 County Highway 34, Ogema MN 56569.
The Connections 34 board members are also more than willing to answer any questions that people might have. The board currently includes John Swiers, Justin Swiers, Deb Armstrong, Dean Kroulik, Pam Kroulik and Eden Baer, who is the treasurer. John Swiers is the primary contact person, and he can be reached at 218-849-3957.
Tax-deductible donations can also be mailed to: Eden Baer, 25525 County Highway 27, Rochert MN 56578. Checks should be made out to either Connections 34 or Strawberry Lake Mennonite Church.