We are applying for a grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation that will help pay for structural engineers!!  This is exciting news since we need this analysis done BEFORE we start the renovations, which includes putting on the new roof.  The Wheat Growers Hotel is moving right along at a much quicker pace now!

A Roof Fund has begun . . . and ALL donations are greatly appreciated!  We have a company, Fisher Roofing, that has graciously given us a quote of $30,000 (which includes the rain-gutters and downspouts plus putting on all new sheathing).  The low quote is because “this is our way of giving back to the community”!!  Please help us put a new roof on this beautiful Hotel! It’s easy to make a donation…just click on the “Make a Donation” button to the left of this screen.

Thanks,

Sue

So, the Nebraska Appropriations Committee will be having a Public Hearing on March 26 to hear about projects that are “shovel-ready” and in need of funds from the Infrastructure Stimulus Plan. WELL…Senator Ken Schilz has graciously agreed to present the Wheat Growers Hotel to the committee!! He asked us how much we need….and we told him 2-2 1/2 million dollars. We will keep you posted!!

Keep all your positive thoughts coming in this direction!
Sue

Still working on securing money from the Infrastructure Stimulus Plan.   Wrote the Governor and all the Senators on the Appropriations Committee the following:

The Wheat Growers Hotel is STILL the perfect project for Infrastructure Stimulus money.  Creating jobs for the renovation, and then creating long-term jobs for the hotel, restaurant, etc.   Also, once completed the Hotel would bring in tourism dollars. A true WIN-WIN-WIN and a Citizens helping Citizens project!

The distribution of Federal Funds of $52 million in General Purpose states:

The ARRA provides the Governor funding to relieve fiscal burden and distress. This funding is intended to support . . . renovation or repair.

The Wheat Growers Hotel definitely qualifies! Every penny would be used wisely and for the good of the economic health of Western Nebraska. Complete transparency all the way!

Keep your fingers crossed!
Sue

So we (Kent and I) will be taking a trip to Lincoln this weekend (2/22-25/09) to meet with some Senators, State Historic Preservation Office and two lawyers for the Wheat Growers Hotel.  We are very excited about this trip and are hoping that great things are instore for this Hotel in the very near future!!

We’ll keep you posted!!

Sue and Kent

This is getting exciting now!! KSID Radio in Sidney, Nebraska (about 40 miles east of Kimball) called and asked about the Wheat Growers Hotel project being mentioned for the Economic Stimulus package . . . (here is from their website) . . .

S A Panhandle historic restoration project could be on the receiving end of economic stimulus dollars.  More than $800,000 for 650 jobs in Nebraska is part of the Economic Stimulus package being debated in Washington according to Heritage Nebraska Executive Director J.L. Schmidt.
     Schmidt says, “The money is proposed for State Historical Preservation Offices to use as pass-through grants for bricks and mortar projects to create jobs and spur investment.”
     Nebraska’s $800,000 share is part of $50 million in the stimulus package for the Historic Preservation Fund.
     If the stimulus is approved, the Wheatgrowers Hotel in Kimball is among the “ready-to-go” projects that Nebraska’s State Historical Preservation Office will apply to receive funds for.  According to the project’s website, the hotel was built in 1918 and billed as the “most glamorous hotel between Omaha and Denver.” 

We’ll keep you posted!

Sue

So, we received a response about the Hotel being a “shovel ready project” from Nebraska’s Governor Dave Heineman!

One never knows what door might open this year, but I’m determine to do the most that I can!!

Carpe Diem and keep watching…..!!

Sue Worker

This coming year will prove to be a good one for the Wheat Growers Hotel. Momentum is gaining with the tour of the Hotel on Dec. 17 by the Nebraska Lt. Governor, Rick Sheehy, Heritage Nebraska Executive Director, J.L. Schmidt and Nebraska Lied Main Street Director, Elizabeth Chase. Followed by a letter (see attachment) to the Governor, Senators and Warren Buffett!! Letter to Nebraska Governor

The Hotel was in many newspapers this past week thanks to a University of Nebraska at Lincoln journalism student, Jenifer Calandra. Omaha’s Star Herald Article

ConAgra based in Omaha. Since their first bag of flour (WHEAT) was sold in 1867, ConAgra Foods has grown from a small Nebraska company into one of America’s largest food companies. This would be a GREAT win-win for ConAgra (in marketing . . . “Honoring the Wheat Growers of America” and the Hotel (getting restored!). Another corporation is Kraft (makers of Wheat Thins!!) People in more than 150 countries choose Kraft products and many of those products are made from WHEAT!!

If your creative juices can think of other major investors, please let us know . . .or contact them for us!

So, Happy New Year to you and may the coming year bring great things!!

Carpe Diem,

Sue

If you would like to contact me personally with suggestions, etc….you can do so at sue@wheatgrowershotel.com

Last Friday, October 17, we gave a tour to Charmayne Cesal who contacted us about the Hotel. She is a member of the National Association of Wheat Weavers (NAWW) and wanted to do an article for their national magazine!! What a perfect fit for the Hotel.  I can just imagine the Suites decorated with wheat weavings, as well as, the restuarant and lobby.

For those of you who have not seen any wheat weavings, take a look at their website at  nawwstraw.org

Charmayne suggested we start offering wheat weavings in the Hotel’s Boutique right now!  What a great idea!

A great BIG THANKS to Fisher Roofing!! We have no more in-door waterfalls in the Hotel!! Just went over and took a look on all the floors (since it rained pretty hard last night). What a wonderful site it was….ALL DRY FLOORS!! Fisher Roofing has been patching the old roof until we can raise the $30,000 (actually $29,900 we have had a few donations from the tours of the Hotel during Farmer’s Day last weekend) for a brand new roof and gutters. We could use all the help you can give in this “Raise the Roof” fund. Every dollar counts!

We had just about 300 people tour the Hotel last weekend for Kimball’s Farmers’ Day event. The guests were excited about the Hotel and it is ALWAYS a motivation for us to keep at it. Thanks to good weather that day for bringing out the crowd! What is really inspiring is seeing the youth have such an interest in it. They will be the generation that will really benefit from this restoration project.

Kent and I will be attending a “Perserving Historic Buildings in Your Community” conference in Lincoln next weekend. It is presented by the National Trust and National Parks Service. Hopefully we will come back with helpful, financing ideas! We will keep you posted.

Cheers,

Sue