PORTLAND, Mo. - The new Portland Community Building may appear to be finished from the outside, but there still is plenty of work to do on the interior before it is fully ready for use.
Volunteers worked Friday to hook up electricity and install plumbing for the two bathrooms, but the interior walls are not finished and none of the furniture or appliances planned to make the community building usable have been purchased.
According to fundraising chairman Paul Pealer, the Portland Community Association still needs approximately $20,000 to reach that goal.
"We're going to need more money to get the table and chairs and appliances in here," said board president Charlie Schmid, noting the work that has been done thus far can be contributed in large part to generous donations of time and materials.
"We've had some good weather and quite a few volunteers," Pealer agreed. "We've had a lot of businesses that have donated stuff to us, and a lot of people donating time."
The community association hopes to put a dent in the $20,000 still needed at the annual Portland Shooting Match fundraiser starting at 11 a.m. on Oct. 8.
In addition to a series of shoots (stock guns only) for prizes that include hams, baby back ribs, pork loins and sausage, the event also will feature the usual cake walk, 50/50 drawing and, of course, food. There also will be various raffles for everything ranging from cakes and pies to hunting supplies, a Cardinals package, a Walmart gift card and a $250 Bass Pro gift card.
Entries for the shooting competitions range from $2-5 a shot depending upon the prize. Raffle tickets are $1 an entry or six for $5, with the exception of the Bass Pro card raffle, for which tickets are $5 an entry.
Pealer said shooting matches usually generate $3,000 to $3,500, although last year's fundraiser - which came shortly after the old community building burned down - brought in approximately $6,500.
Pealer said he hopes for a similar response this year.