AMES, IA- On November 6, the Iowa 4-H Foundation received an Excellence in Concrete Award in the category of Public Works- Structures, during the Better Concrete Conference held at the Scheman Center, Iowa State University, in Ames, Iowa. The awards luncheon was hosted by the Iowa Ready Mixed Concrete Association (IRMCA).
November 11, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tornado Safe Room Receives Excellence in Concrete Award
The Iowa 4-H Center Tornado Safe Rooms, owned by the Iowa 4-H Foundation, receives top honors by Iowa Ready Mixed Concrete Association
AMES, IA- On November 6, the Iowa 4-H Foundation received an Excellence in Concrete Award in the category of Public Works- Structures, during the Better Concrete Conference held at the Scheman Center, Iowa State University, in Ames, Iowa. The awards luncheon was hosted by the Iowa Ready Mixed Concrete Association (IRMCA).
Mitch Baum, past board president of the Iowa 4-H Foundation and Ron VanDenBroeke, Iowa 4-H Center Camp Manager, accepted the award on behalf on the foundation. “It is an honor for the Iowa 4-H Foundation to be recognized for the tornado safe room at the 4-H camp,” said Baum. “Safety is a number one priority for youth at the Iowa 4-H Center, and it is reassuring that our tornado safe room is one of the best.”
The entry was submitted by Dan Bush of Winterset and Dale Port of Cedar Falls, the project’s architect and designer. The Iowa 4-H Center Tornado Safe Room was designed to meet FEMA standards for providing a tornado-safe shelter for visitors of the camp. The exterior walls are Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) and the roof is supported by a decking system that allowed concrete to be cast-in-place. The entire envelope of the building is concrete.
The designs for the safe room facility originated from the Iowa Ready Mixed Concrete Association. The organization also provided a gift of $10,000 to support the fundraising efforts of the Iowa 4-H Foundation for this project.
Organizations that played a role in the construction of the tornado safe room also were recognized during the awards luncheon. Ready Mixed Concrete Producer: Liberty Ready Mix, Grimes; General Contractor: Newcastle Enterprises, Winterset; Concrete Subcontractor: Stromax Construction, Inc., Winterset; Architects/Designers: Dan Bush, Winterset and Dale Port, Cedar Falls; and Engineer: Lite-Form Technologies, LLC, South Sioux City, Nebraska.
Ground broke for the new shelter in the fall of 2013 and continued during the winter months. The construction concluded during the early summer months of 2014. The safe room protects up to 175 youth and can withstand 250 mph sustained winds for two hours. The safe room is located such that campers can reach the shelter within five minutes.
Additional funds of about $40,000 remain to reach the $160,000 goal to fund the construction, landscaping and maintenance of on the facility. Donations can be made to the Iowa 4-H Foundation designating “safe room” to support this project. More information about the tornado safe room at the Iowa 4-H Center can be found at www.iowa4hfoundation.org/safe.
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The Iowa 4-H Foundation provides the private financial resources to develop and deliver quality 4-H youth programs throughout the state of Iowa. These opportunities help young people enhance their ability to use critical thinking, leadership, communication, and social skills – tools that will give them a competitive edge in their future endeavors. The Iowa 4-H Center is owned by the Iowa 4-H Foundation and is leased to Iowa State University Extension and Outreach for camp programming.
The Iowa Ready Mixed Concrete Association was formed in 1949 as a state organization representing the ready mixed concrete industry. Its membership included ready mixed concrete producers, materials suppliers, equipment manufacturers, and other companies interested in promoting the use of ready mixed concrete.
*Pictured: Ron VanDenBroeke, Iowa 4-H Center Camp Manager and Mitch Baum, past board president of the Iowa 4-H Foundation
CONTACTS: Albert M. Grunenwald Brooke Young
Executive Director Administrative Specialist
Iowa 4-H Foundation Iowa 4-H Foundation
abgrunen@iastate.edu brookey@iastate.edu
515-294-4780 515-294-1537
