Last spring while opening up the main building of the Rangeley Lakes Region Logging Museum for the 2010 season Richard Hill discovered a few shingles on the ground. The museum is now 30 years old, and it was obvious as the summer rolled along and more shingles appeared on the ground that the roof was not going to make it to the 2011 season.

The treasury would not support the cost of replacement without some fundraising, some professional assistance and serious volunteer work. The board of directors decided to replace the shingles with screw-down sheet metal roofing and thereby match the other museum buildings.

After determining the number of sheets and then the cost per sheet, a display was devised to encourage people to make contributions, with the idea of donors “buying” full sheets for $60 and half sheets. Donors could add a branch (dowel rod) into an old cedar stump for each contribution. Their name was put on a tag that resembled a leaf on the end of the branch.

The appeal started at the end of the Logging Festival on July 23 and continued until the Apple Festival on Oct. 2. Contributions ranged from $10 to $240.

A collective thank you goes to all those who made in financial contributions for the roof. Most of you can expect a personal thanks when the dust settles from our busy and most productive season at the museum. It is a most positive feeling to know that such support is here in Rangeley when trying to keep our very special working man’s museum well-maintained and moving forward, especially when major projects overwhelm our modest budget.

RLRLM membership still stands at $10 for a single and $20 for a family.

The following companies were especially helpful with this project.

Rangeley Building Supply was able to secure a price break from the manufacturer (a Maine outfit) and offered support and wise advice as well as cost breaks. This was the second time this summer that RBS has been very generous and helpful with a project at the museum. They played a most important an essential role in this roof project.

Gil Bolduc, a roofing contractor, called Ron Haines, the president of RLRLM, after seeing the story in the local newspaper requesting some professional assistance.

Bolduc said he would do the job for you, “just let me know when you’re ready and I believe my crew can do it in one day.” He advised stripping the old shingles. and his lads did an awesome job of prepping the roof during two long sessions of hard work.

The museum’s six large skylights, which have a great effect on the natural lighting inside the museum, were a major problem for both the stripping crew and the installation crew. Bolduc’s team saved another 1$,800 of expense by making up the flashing kits for skylights. To our delight Scott Morton arrived with one of his major toys, a tractor/backhoe, to make the cleanup of the trash shingles a easy and fast job.

Wayne and Velma Lessard, Sheila Waldeck, Richard Hill, Steve Richard and Klara and Ron Haines along with some other members of RLRLM did a lot of support activity, which kept the project on track.

Thanks to all who helped us create this much-needed new roof.