Let's build a sauna at the Hiram College Field Station!

I'm working on a grant application with the Hiram Community Trust and looking for support and interest from the Hiram College community, namely the student body, for this community sauna project.

The trust works to award around $25,000 per year to the Hiram community in support of collaboration between our campus, the village, and other area communities. We think a community sauna at the Hiram College's James H. Barrow Biological Field Station would offer both the college and the community numerous benefits.

The project involves developing an outdoor sauna for general use to facilitate social interaction and general health. The Field Station might be a wonderful place to put this and would allow for access by multiple groups. The budget total would be around $7000 total and the grant looks for matching funds. So I'm after around $3500 from various groups on campus, namely student senate Funding You Board. Through conversation, I've met a number of students asking about saunas and interested in making one available on campus. I believe it would be an amenity that many would take advantage of and add to the character and specifically rich culture of Hiram College. In addition, it would allow community members to utilize this resource for health, wellness, and social interaction. It would also draw folks to our field station and promote engagement with our local environment. Additionally the sauna could act as a symbolic link between the Northwoods Field Station and the James H. Barrow Biological Field station, serving as a place to engage and invite students to visit these wonderful resources that Hiram College has to offer.

Given the CV19 circumstances, we would observe strict adherence to state and community guidelines for distancing before engaging in close proximity construction or use of this amenity. However, the deadline for funding is approaching and securing funding would allow for the design and planning phases to begin.

I'd like to integrate the design and construction of this project into a 1-credit POP-UP course next fall that involves students in the design and build phase - this could be a model for community health that involves nursing, and public health, and integrated exercise science majors among others.

At this point we'd love your signature and support! We will keep you posted. We're just at the concept phase now, but have had support signaled from several students, faculty, and staff members.

I appreciate your support and consideration!