Capital budget includes funds for new George Community Hall roof

GEORGE — The George Community Hall has received $201,000 from the 2019-2021 Capital Budget for a new roof. The budget was passed on April 28 by the Washington State House and Senate in Olympia. The funding is thanks to the efforts of Rep. Alex Ybarra, R-Quincy and Sen. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, according to a statement from the George Community Hall,

The George Community Hall was built in 1964. This year, engineers assessed the building and determined the roof had experienced truss failure. Initial estimates put the work at $70,000. But after a second assessment, the repair estimate was changed to $250,000. The roof needs to be totally re-engineered and reconstructed.

The George Community Hall’s Board of Directors decided to appeal to the Legislature for help in the amount of $195,000. The other $55,000 was raised through the support of community members.

In an effort to get the needed funding, the George Community Hall enlisted the help of 21 local and county businesses and agencies to write letters of support.

The George Community Hall is run completely by volunteers and the support of community members. Each year, the hall hosts an annual Fourth of July celebration, which includes a giant cherry pie and fireworks. It also hosts an annual Bluegrass Festival, monthly bluegrass jams and the George CoffeeHouse. The building is rented out to community members for celebrations and to community groups for meetings.

Rachal Pinkerton may be reached via email at rpinkerton@suntribunenews.com.