The SHACK reaches crossroads on new building

Public meetings set for Saturday, Monday to discuss progress, challenges, possible sale

With progress slowed by the lack of funding, The SHACK’s board of directors and its executive director have announced that they would consider selling their 6,000 square foot building at the corner of North Fifth Street and First Avenue North in Greybull.

The SHACK purchased the building in 2008 as part of its vision to develop a community youth center.  The nonprofit organization had been around since 2002, operating out of a small house on North Fifth Street across from the high school, and viewed the larger building as an opportunity to expand its reach and serve more students.

While it has made progress, the organization now finds itself at a crossroads, lacking the funding required to complete the renovation project.

To be fully transparent, responsive, and accountable to their supporters and the community at large, The SHACK’s board along with its executive director has scheduled two “town hall” meetings to respond to any questions and concerns.  

Both will be held at the Herb Asp Community Center in Greybull.  The first is set for Saturday, Oct. 4 at 1 p.m., the second for Monday, Oct. 6 at 6:30 p.m.  Community members are encouraged to attend.

Progress update

The SHACK’s board of directors and executive director said in a statement that they’ve given up on the project.  They maintain that a larger building would allow different groups of students to meet in different locations and provide space for a basketball court, a climbing wall, a snack bar and a venue for community concerts.

The SHACK has invested $290,482 and at least 3,000 volunteer hours into the new building since its purchase in 2008.

“Plumbing and electrical have been roughed in, outside walls are completely insulated, a new outside sidewalk has been made, rafters in the ceiling have been reinforced, new windows and doors have been installed, a required fire wall has been built, a cement floor has been laid, stairs to a storage area have been built, and all the interior walls have been framed,” the board and executive director said in a statement.

“The SHACK had initially put a lot of effort and public attention on this new building.  With the slowness of progress, community interest has understandably subsided.  About 10 years ago, the (board) with the concurrence of the (executive director) officially set the new building project on the back burner.

“As stated in their recent letter to their supporters, ‘As God would provide funding through generous donors and grants, we would build.  But our priority was to serve the students who were attending at the old SHACK building.’  

“And that is where their attention and efforts have been steadfastly focused: serving the students.”  

The SHACK is open for two hours after each school day and on Friday and Saturday evenings for three hours.  Attendance is regular, but often fills the small house across from the high school to its capacity.  Nevertheless, students keep coming.

As a faith-based non-profit ministry, The SHACK’s mission is to “encourage and strengthen positive values, habits, and lifestyles upon which youth can build their lives through the transforming hope of God.”  

The SHACK’s vision is “to be a safe place where youth are transformed by peace, hope and joy into a full life in Christ.”  However, as a community drop-in center (not a church youth group), this mission is accomplished through setting an inviting example rather than providing planned religious education classes.  

Many of the regular attenders have come to consider The SHACK a home away from home.

“While the drop-in center continues to thrive at the house near the high school, progress of renovating the new building has seemingly come to a standstill,” the board and executive director said. “The next step in completing the new building is the installation of the heating/cooling system and the required fire suppression system — both big expense items: $92,000 and $70,000, respectively.  

“The SHACK board of directors agreed with The SHACK executive director that “for some in our community, the slow pace of completing the new building had become a distraction from the main work of our ministry: caring for students.”

Options

In a letter to their supporters, the board and executive director say they are looking for God to provide either $350,000 (likely through generous grants) to complete the building or for a buyer to emerge to purchase the building..

“We are assured that God will lead and provide,” they said in a statement. “We’re just not sure which option God will choose.  So we will wait and move in the direction God first provides.  We’re already positioned to complete the remodel, if sufficient grant monies are received first.  But also, we now have a realtor who will be putting the new building for sale on the market this month.

“If sold, funds from the sale of the new building will remain with and be utilized for the mission of The SHACK.  The SHACK’s letter to their supporters concluded, ‘We don’t know, yet, how God will provide. Will he provide the $350,000 needed to complete the building project at the new building?  Or will he provide a buyer to purchase that new building from The SHACK?  We don’t know how God will provide, but we do trust him to provide in accordance with His good purposes for The SHACK and its ministry to students.”