Need everyone's help and ideas

[Silver]

Ok here's my problem. I live in a rural farm community and its almost time for the county fair. My dad is the voice of the market animal sale committee. We are overly ambitious and we volunteered ourselves (stupid or gullible) for the demolition of an old livestock barn at the fair grounds. We have completed that and now we are getting materials together to begin the construction of the new barn. This barn will house around 50 sheep or hogs. The market animal sale committee has enough money to pay for the building materials such as wood, sheet metal siding, electrical, plumbing, and so forth. This is were my problem arises.I'm not too bad at welding, so the task fell upon me to build individual pens for each lamb or hog. The most practical and cost effective method is rectangular tubing with hog panel welded in. It is going to take about 1700 ft of metal to do this. Somewhere in the neighborhood of $900. I am left without any funds, so what would be the best way to go about getting money or materials for this project? It will be considered tax exempt because it is county property and I'm not getting paid a dime. The really irionic part about this all is we don't even show sheep or hogs. We're in deep and wondering if anyone had an ideas.

 

[jlingle]

Let your individual FFA/4H chapters in your area build their own hog & sheep pens.  That way, they're exactly the way they want them, they have exactly how many they think they need, and they have nothing to snivel about.   <beer>

In other words, get out of it.  Let the kids and ag teachers do it themselves.  Our county does it this way, and it works wonderfully.  Everybody hauls their own equipment to the show, it's predetermined where they'll set up that year (they rotate) and they do their own work before the show on panels & setup, and after the show on taking their gear down & taking it home. 

It ain't your problem.

 

[Show Heifer]

I would approach each 4-H or FFA chapter to make a donation. Suggest $75-100.  Maybe make it so much per kid.
OR
I would approach the farm supply stores and businesses to make a donation. I mean, its $900. Not a lot for several businesses  or even one business. Again, suggest a number depending on how many businesses are in your area.

Then for anyone who donated anything (some farm stores may donate supplies - wouldn't it be nice if a farm stores donated the panels?) make a huge sign that is painted that says something like
"We would like to express our gratitude to the following for donating toward this new buidling:    "    and then list all them.  Also take out an ad in the local paper thanking them (our local paper does it for no charge)

You will be surprised how many people will rally to your cause.  (You might also explain you are donating the labor!)

This approach has been used by myself very successfully!! Good luck!

 

[arincker]

make wooden  pens that's what ours did

 

[rtmcc]

I would approach each 4-H or FFA chapter to make a donation. Suggest $75-100.  Maybe make it so much per kid.
OR
I would approach the farm supply stores and businesses to make a donation. I mean, its $900. Not a lot for several businesses  or even one business. Again, suggest a number depending on how many businesses are in your area.

Then for anyone who donated anything (some farm stores may donate supplies - wouldn't it be nice if a farm stores donated the panels?) make a huge sign that is painted that says something like
"We would like to express our gratitude to the following for donating toward this new buidling:    "    and then list all them.  Also take out an ad in the local paper thanking them (our local paper does it for no charge)

You will be surprised how many people will rally to your cause.  (You might also explain you are donating the labor!)

This approach has been used by myself very successfully!! Good luck!

Ditto!
You won't get any donations if you don't ask.  If a farm supply store can help with the hog panels, find a fabricating shop or steel supplier or maybe some other manufacturer that uses a lot of steel for their product and may have a good connection with a steel company to help with the tubing.
I hate asking too, but after your done, its usually easier than you expected.

Good luck!

 

[Silver]

Let your individual FFA/4H chapters in your area build their own hog & sheep pens.  That way, they're exactly the way they want them, they have exactly how many they think they need, and they have nothing to snivel about.   <beer>

In other words, get out of it.  Let the kids and ag teachers do it themselves.  Our county does it this way, and it works wonderfully.  Everybody hauls their own equipment to the show, it's predetermined where they'll set up that year (they rotate) and they do their own work before the show on panels & setup, and after the show on taking their gear down & taking it home. 

It ain't your problem.

Your county must be more civilized than ours then because we would have pallets and chicken wire all over