HAYWARD, Wisconsin (September 10, 2014) – Over the next six months, our Main Street office building will be undergoing a much needed remodel, so please plan to visit us in our temporary office location at 10636 Hayward Court – in the big log building on Hwy 77, across from Walmart.  Our hours will remain the same as always, Monday – Friday from 9-4 – we’d love to see you so stop on over!

We are very excited about our remodel!  The new space will not only be a more productive workspace for our growing staff, it will be energy efficient, and as a bonus, we are reserving the front third of the space for a special American Birkebeiner Museum.  Here is what you can expect come spring:

birkiso

BIRKIEA3090814So what do you think?!?  We are especially excited about the MUSEUM!  While this portion of the project will likely happen a bit later – after some funding and expertise is acquired – in the absence of Telemark, we really look forward to having a permanent place to showcase the legacy of the American Birkebeiner and Founder Tony Wise, along with over 40 years of history.  In addition to honoring our past, the museum will also celebrate the present and future too – including features such as a fly-over of the trail; some fun facts about our events, organization, and trail; and some really great stories and pictures from Birkie Enthusiasts just like you!  The museum area will also include a place to hang out, watch some skiing, running or biking on TV, have a cup of coffee, and generally be a fun gathering spot, so make sure to drop in and see us!

The new space will be larger and more efficient for our staff to work harder to bring you an even better experience at our events and on the Birkie Trail System. The ABSF has grown considerably over the past several years – the Birkie ski races have gotten bigger, we’ve taken on more events, we participate in more sport development programs, and the trail system has gotten bigger.  In addition, the staff has also grown in order to manage all of the improvements and changes within the organization – we now have 17 employees, including 8 full-time year-round, 2 part-time year-round, and 7 part-time seasonal, including office and trail staff.  Our existing building needs to grow with us in order to provide the proper work space for the team to operate productively and efficiently.  This expansion will comfortably house our current staff, plus room to grow as needed.

The remodel of our Main Street building has been a discussion with Board and Staff for over 5 years now.  While the casual visitor may not realize it, the building is in quite a state of disrepair.  There is literally no insulation around the concrete wall construction causing us to get frost on the walls in the winter (8 space heaters running!), the concrete slab is not insulated (can you say cold feet?), and I’m sure you’ve all witnessed the amazing icicles hanging from our roof every winter – a sure sign of all our heating dollars going right out the roof!  While we all love playing outside during the winter, enduring winter conditions inside, while trying to work is quite another thing!

IMG_2343

We are super excited that the remodel is finally moving forward!  We’ll update you periodically on the construction progress – we are all looking forward to helping with a bit of demo!

If you have connections with a building supply manufacturer and are looking for a tax deduction, we are interested in talking to you!  Windows, siding, lighting/electrical, plumbing, metal roofing, interior furnishings, appliances, cabinetry, landscaping – we need it all and are prepared to recognize partners in this endeavor.  Please contact Amy Rowley, ABSF Development Director for more information – amy.rowley@birkie.com.

Important to note:  Our phone number and USPS address remain the same:
715-634-5025
PO Box 911
Hayward, WI  54843

If you plan to ship us any goodies, please use the new address of
10636 Hayward Court, Unit 4
Hayward, WI  54843

Thanks as always for your continued support of the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation!

 
About the ABSF:  The American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit membership-based organization lead by an Executive Director and a 13-member Board of Directors.  The mission of the ABSF is threefold:  1) To promote and conduct the finest international cross country ski competitions, to serve as good stewards of the American Birkebeiner Trail, and to support healthy and active lifestyles among skiers of all ages.   To learn more about the ABSF, visit our website at www.birkie.com

 

 

Posted September 9, 2014 at 4:18 pm