Washington Evening Journal
111 North Marion Avenue
Washington, IA 52353
319-653-2191
Repairs made to Fairfield Boy Scouts’ hall
Andy Hallman
Nov. 16, 2020 12:00 am
FAIRFIELD - Boy Scout Troop 64 in Fairfield has received a major repair to its meeting place, Thorn Hall, adjacent to the First United Methodist Church.
The ground under the western third of the building has settled overv time, so much that it caused cracks in the concrete floor. The Boy Scout troop applied for and received a grant from the Greater Jefferson County Foundation to fix the floor, and on Wednesday, the firm Ryken Concrete Lifting of Pella came to make the needed repairs.
The concrete company lifted the building and poured concrete underneath it to lift the western third 2.5 inches. Scoutmaster Joe Garretson said the company drilled holes about 1½ inches in diameter in the ground, and pumped liquid concrete through the holes to raise the floor.
The floor was in desperate need of repair. A crack through the middle of the floor was so wide that the Scouts could fit their fingers through it. Garretson said that since one end of the floor was higher than the other, the crack created a tripping hazard. The Scouts ameliorated the problem with a rug, but they knew that without a more permanent solution, their floor was only going to get worse.
Garretson said it wasn't just the floor that was at issue. The unbalanced ground had created cracks in the drywall, too, above doors. Some doors had become extremely hard to shut and latch. Garretson said that without repairs, the problem would eventually reach the ceiling, where it would pull shingles apart.
The Scouts' hall, Thorn Hall, is named after Gene Thorn, who was involved in Scouts for many years. The building was once a garage, and when the First United Methodist Church purchased the neighboring house and garage, it kept the garage for the Scouts to use as a meeting place.
The church chartered Troop 64 in 1964 and has held the charter ever since.
Garretson said the club is 10 members strong and has its sights set on bigger and better things. He said the club is making a special effort to get the word out to advertise its activities. It wants to be more visible and more involved in the community. He said club members are discussing plans to ring the bell for the Salvation Army this winter.
As scoutmaster, Garretson is responsible for overseeing the club's activities and making sure the Scouts have the resources they need to succeed.
'We're getting back to where the boys run the meeting, and the adults are just there to make sure they stay on task,” Garretson said.
Garretson said the mission of the Scouts is to learn the value of 'teamwork, patriotism and duty to God.” The Scouts routinely participate in patriotic holidays such as Flag Day, where they carry flags for the Fairfield Elks' ceremony in Central Park.
The Scouts camp once a month during the summer. This past summer, the scouts went canoeing down the Skunk River for 5 miles and ended the day by camping at Mac Coon Access, one of the Jefferson County parks. Garretson said there was just barely enough water to canoe.
'In some places, we had to push the canoes,” he said.
The group camped at Lacey-Keosauqua State Park in Keosauqua, and this winter is planning to hold a campout at Scout Acres, a property owned by Jim Flinspach.
Garretson said the Scouts have begun referring to themselves by their abbreviation BSA (Boy Scouts of America) because the organization is now open to girls as well as boys.
Those who are interested in learning more about Scouts can contact Garretson at 641-919-6867. The club meets at Thorn Hall north of the First United Methodist Church at 7 p.m. every first and third Monday.
Boy Scout Tristen Garretson shows the crack in the Scouts' meeting room floor that was fixed by a grant from the Greater Jefferson County Foundation. (Photo submitted)
Boy Scout Troop 64 received a grant to repair the concrete floor in its meeting place, Thorn Hall in Fairfield. Pictured are, from left, Frank Redeker, Cooper Kraft, Colton Bishop, Tristen Garretson, Scoutmaster Joe Garretson, Dre Smithburg, Kara Waugh and Ashley Manning. (Photo courtesy of Barb Kistler)
Josh Branderhorst inserts a rod under Thorn Hall, where the Fairfield Boy Scouts Troop 64 meets. Branderhorst owns Ryken Concrete Lifting of Pella, which poured concrete under the building Wednesday to make the floor level. A portion of the floor had sunk 2½ inches and created cracks in the concrete and drywall. (Photo courtesy of Nicole Garretson)
Members of Ryken Concrete Lifting work on the floor of the Boy Scouts' meeting hall in Fairfield. (Photo courtesy of Nicole Garretson)
This shows the floor of Thorn Hall after the western third of the building had been raised 2½ inches to make it level. The concrete company was able to mostly eliminate the crack that ran down the middle of the floor and which was a tripping hazard. (Photo courtesy of Nicole Garretson)