ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Five people met to discuss the possibility of forming a partnership with the Forest Service to convert Chik-Wauk Lodge into a historical museum.

• Sue Kerfoot and Betty Hemstad met with Dennis Neitzke for the first time. He asked that a Business Plan be prepared for the FS.

• Fifteen people met and decided to form the GTHS.

• After a detailed inspection of Chik-Wauk, the FS sent the GTHS a 14 point Deferred Maintenance Report.

• The GTHS was incorporated.

• The GTHS sent its Business Plan to the FS.

• Bruce and Sue Kerfoot and Ron and Betty Hemstad met with Dennis Neitzke in Grand Marais to begin the partnership discussion. It included a conference call with FS personnel in Duluth. It was confirmed that a contract would be drawn up by Lisa Pattni, Forest Service Partnership Coordinator, and that we would meet again.

• The GTHS received its 501(c)(3) determination letter from the IRS. The GTHS received the first draft of a Challenge Cost Share Agreement from the FS.

• Bruce & Sue Kerfoot, Dave Tuttle, and Ron & Betty Hemstad met in Duluth with a group from the FS to discuss the details of the Challenge Cost Share Agreement. (Note: The FS agreed to transition to a Special Use Permit with a 20 year Agreement once the deferred maintenance is complete.)

• The GTHS drafted a Four-year Working Plan for the FS and the GTHS based on discussions at the March 13 meeting (Note: This plan has not been approved by the FS. It has met with the approval of the GTHS Trustees.)

• Lee Zopff, Bruce & Sue Kerfoot, and Ron & Betty Hemstad met with Dennis Gimmestad (State Historic Preservation Officer) and Tim Glines (Outreach Officer) at the Minnesota Historical Society in St Paul. They also met with Chris and Jane Wilson at Split Rock Studios (professional exhibit design firm) in Arden Hills.

• Sue Kerfoot and Betty Hemstad met Walt Okstad, Bill Clayton and Erin Potter at Chik-Wauk to discuss the building assessment for the National Registry and the PIT projects for this summer during the last week of July and the first week of August.

• Several members of the Society met with Greyling Brandt, Steve Schug and Fran Hartle to discuss placement of the toilet and numerous questions re the 14 point deferred maintenance projects.

• The Society has updated the Four Year Plan based on subsequent discussions.

• Society received MOU draft from Dennis Neitzke.

• Six Society members and twelve members of the Forest Service Personnel meet at Chik-Wauk, Gunflint Conference Center and at the Forest Service in Grand Marais to discuss the draft of the MOU, the FS's 14 Point Deferred Maintenance Plan, the draft of the Society's Four-Year Plan and the second draft of the Challenge Cost-Share Agreement.

• The Society and the Forest Service signed a Memorandum of Understanding.

• The Society members gather to "clean-up" the property and picnic.

• Society members and Partners in Time (PIT) complete window restoration and painting.

• Chris Wilson from Split Rock Studios met on the Gunflint Trail with the Trustees and with the Society membership. He presented a proposal to begin design work.

• Society signed contract with Split Rock Studios to develop a Concept Design for the Chik-Wauk Museum.

• Chris Wilson met on the Gunflint Trail with Society representatives to discuss the Concept Design at the 25% stage.

• Split Rock Studios and Society representatives continued to work on the Concept Design.

• Bruce Kerfoot completed work on tuck-pointing the chimneys at Chik-Wauk.

• Society and the Forest Service signed the completed Challenge Cost Share Agreement.

• Society received the completed Concept Design for Chik-Wauk from Split Rock Studios. Society approved contracting with Split Rock Studios to begin work on the Final Design.

• The Chik-Wauk roof is restored to the original brick-red color, with classic gutters and copper trim.

• Chik-Wauk was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as of June 27, 2007.

• The GTHS and USDA Forest Service signed the Special Use Permit. This license gives the society the privilege to operate a historical museum and nature center in the former Chik-Wauk Lodge building.

• The completed building projects included:
  Repair of deteriorated kitchen floor, new entrance ramp to museum, major masonry work on the front porch, refinished wooden entrance doors and screens (PIT - Passport In Time - project), all new window hardware installed, telephone service lines buried to building, wildfire sprinkler system installed.

• The grounds committee began landscaping and major work was done on the driveway and parking area. An accessible ramp was built from the museum to the outhouse.

• On December 31 the Trustees met with Split Rock Studios to receive the 60% Final Design Plan for the museum.

• Flooring Installed
• Electricity brought in, track lighting installed
• Trail work begins
• Lodge work landscaping begins

• Winter: final preparations for museum components

• May: Split Rock Studios installs the museum

• June 28: Annual Meeting is held at Chik-Wauk Museum & Nature Center "in the big top"

• July 4: Grand Opening