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The historic Sunrise School — left vacant with the construction of a new township hall — is the focus of a lot of activity now involving a host of volunteers working to coordinate the date and firm up financing for a move in coming months.  The schoolhouse will be moved to the Almelund Threshing Show grounds where it will become part of the collection of old time structures and will stand as a symbol of how education was pursued in many schoolhouses that were situated in Chisago County back when  30 or so separate “districts” operated here.

Threshing Show lead on the schoolhouse project Tom Koran, said the fundraising is off to a decent start with about $75,000 in an account, but the entire move and sitework/renovation  is expected to cost about $195,000.

“There are alot of excited people,” working on events to help reach that goal, Koran explained.  He also has some amazing area contractors and tradespeople who have offered to tackle certain skilled aspects of this project at no charge.

The move is planned for late summer-early fall. Koran is lining up Xcel Energy, which is a big part of the complicated building relocation process that calls for deactivating and dropping (or lifting) dozens of power lines along the moving route.  

He continues working with the mover on timing.  

There are two fundraisers coming up to help get the public involved and both are in May.  The banquet event is Saturday, May 10 (night before Mothers Day) and needs to have reservations made sooner than later.  Koran says the effort needs 248 diners to be a success.

The event is at Maple Ridge Farm, a wedding and events venue on nearby Vista Road, rural Taylors Falls.  Social hour is at 5 p.m. and dinner will be served at 6 p.m.   Tickets are $50.  This includes the meal, five door prize tickets and one drink.  The raffle is coming together well with a number of firearms and a crossbow donated so far, and also includes a cooler full of beer or a cooler holding a meat selection.  Koran is accepting raffle and prize items at this time, he asks that donors keep in mind   the theme of preserving history and vintage life.   (Phone is 612-221-1573.

The second fundraiser for the schoolhouse project is a tractor pull.  The event is Saturday May 31 at the Threshing Show Grounds.  Tickets are $15, hook fee is $25.  Registration starts at 10 a.m.

The Almelund Lions are serving beverages and the food is being provided and served by Almelund Volunteer Firefighters.

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