Wadena County Commissioners: Friends group raises $425,000 for 4-H building upgrades
by Trinity Gruenberg
The Wadena County Commissioners held their regular meeting on Tuesday, December 3.
Friends of Wadena
County Youth
Dan Sartell and Dan Skogen with the Friends of Wadena County Youth (FOWCY) shared they have raised around $425,000 out of an estimated $500,000 total project cost to renovate the 4-H building. The county’s $100,000 allocation will focus on bathroom and kitchen upgrades, with the amount being approximately $82,000 after paying the Widseth bill.
The architectural drawings are complete and under review by state agencies. The FOWCY has been actively fundraising, including a successful event at the 4-H building. Their priorities are bringing the bathrooms up to code and upgrading the kitchen.
The timeline for completing the project was discussed. The goal is to have the building functional for the county fair in 2025. The board and FOWCY emphasized the need for good communication and coordination with the 4-H program.
There was also discussion about how the fundraising money should be handled, with the county wanting oversight and the ability to approve expenditures, while the FOWCY wants to maintain control over the funds they have raised. Olson mentioned that when this started, the FOWCY did invite the county to be there. Ryan Odden sat there for months before his departure, and CJ Holl shared some communication....