Workers are taking advantage of a string of dry days to re-roof the historic circa 1925 International Order of Odd Fellows Hall building that houses the Rainforest Art Center. Here workers are pictured on Wednesday, Jan. 26 scrapping several layers of roofing material prior to placing a new, waterproof covering. The project should be mostly completed by the end of the week. The wood planking found under the layers of roofing are in remarkably good shape, said Mike Gurling, building manager of the Rainforest Arts Center.

To fund replacing the roof, the non-profit theater and arts organization last year received a $30,000  grant  from the Benjamin N. Phillips Memorial Fund through the Seattle Foundation. The building is owned by the City of Forks and leased by the Rainforest Players and the West Olympic Council for the Arts. The two groups are responsible for the building’s upkeep and renovation. As part of the application for the grant, Gurling said Gurling said that roofing has been failing the last several years and water has penetrated into the building leading to numerous leaks in the structure. Additional donors to the project include First Federal, Jim & Donna Bledsoe, Ben & Kay Lonn, the Forks Hoh Downers square dance group, Gurling and Pat Dorst who contributed an additional $4,000.

Roofing contractor, Advanced Construction & Roofing LLC, is doing the work of replacing the roof.

The Rainforest Art center has been used over 13 years to present live theatrical plays, music concerts, a place for dances and weddings, for Halloween haunted houses, plus education and art workshops and a high school prom.  The building has a long history dating back to the 1920s as community gathering place for dances and other events.

Renovation of the building began in 1997.