AFFILIATES:
Facilities and grounds
SECOM has been operation for six years now at 1545 Buchanan Ave SW in this building which was once a trucking and freight-handling company. We have done much work inside the building since we took it over. The metal-sided rear section was tore almost completely apart to the foundation and rebuilt for SECOM programs. The front, brick section was gutted and remodeled in 2005 and is rented to Camp Blodgett and Grand Rapids Public Schools as a Kent Education Center.
This year, we were looking forward to landscaping the hills around the rear or SECOM section of the building. This spring we had landcaping design plans drawn up and cost analysis complete. We were ready to present our plan and to ask for donations that would allow us to begin, but we discovered that we need another expensive project to move ahead of the landscaping.
We have struggled with poor drainage in the parking lot as long as we have been at this site. This spring the drain grate fell into the hole that has washed out below the asphalt, leaving a large, dangerous hole. We are working with the plumber, and it is advised that we add another drain in front of the SECOM entrance steps. This will eliminate the "ice rink" we get every winter. Also, both drains need a concrete crock inside and diversion pipes. From this set-up, the water leeches or seeps into the ground. All of this work will cost more than the landscaping we had planned.
We need your help. We need donors who can help us pay for the plumbing needed. Also, if you need any plumbing at your home or business, if you call McDonald Plumbing at 616-698-6771, and tell them that we referred you, we will get $20 off our bill. See their Website at www.mcdonaldplumbing.com
(To help with the plumbing needed, contact Robert Heys.)
More on our inprovements
In 2007, we began building shelving in the basement in order to better utilize our storage rooms. In the past year, we had the warehouse floor, which was not tiled or carpetted like the rest of the rooms, finished with a gritted sealer. We are now able to properly mop and sanitize the floor and not worry about slipping on the wet surface. It looks really nice, too, with the sandstone coloration.
We also have added more pallet rack shelving within the pantry store and warehouse, adding much more cubic feet of usable storage space. We will be adding just a few more racks in the basement, as well. The photo to the left shows the old shelving in the warehouse.
Below are the new shelves now in the store and warehouse.
We added built-in cupboards in our classroom in 2008 and, just a couple of months ago, upgraded the carpeting with carpet tiles which will be easier to maintain. We are looking forward to upgrading the Child Care carpet as well, as soon as donors can help us to build the necessary fund.
*The Classroom and All Purpose Room are both available for rent to outside groups. (Contact our Director)
Our Fundraising Tile project is a unique artwork of recognition tiles created by Mary Kuilemain our lobby area and main office hallway. Some of the tiles depict 3-dimensional hands which represent our initial Capital Campaign slogan “helping hands; healing hearts”. (To add your name to a waiting list for recognition tiles or to donate to the building fund, contact Robert Heys.)
Changes have taken place outside our building as well. In 2008, Camp Blodgett and other volunteers built a shed for lawn equipment storage. Volunteers helped to dig a trench, and an auger drilled under our parking lot, enabling us to run a water line to near the shed and close to the garden.
Since we own the lot south of our main building, we have been able to garden “on the hill”. The summer of 2009, we harvested over 60 pounds of food for the Food Pantry and hope to yield more in years to follow as the soil is improved. This year, we are again gardening for the SECOM Food Pantry, and we have let several neighbors garden plots as well helping some families to help themselves to healthy food.