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Why is it called the "LaFortune Groover"?
A "groover" is a portable toilet used by rafters. The first ones were
made out of an ammo can (a metal box with an opening 6 inches
wide). Squatting over it would leave a nice set of red grooves in your
behind! Today's portable toilets are much more comfortable but are
still called "groovers".
To find out more about the connection between Jim LaFortune and
"groovers", read Kathie LaFortune's post, "Pennies for Poop".
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Jim and Kathie LaFortune have been strong supporters of the
Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute (PCEI) since 1992. On
November 12, 2010, Jim lost a 14-month battle with brain cancer. As
Jim’s memorial, Jim's wife, Kathie, and his children, Emerald and
Jasper, decided that “in lieu of gifts or flowers” they would set up a
fund with PCEI.
In a few short months, the Jim LaFortune Memorial Fund reached
$5,000. Tom Lamar, PCEI's Executive Director met with Kathie to
determine a project with Jim’s name on it. Many ideas were discussed
but when Emerald suggested a restroom building featuring composting
toilets, a perfect match was found. (Read Kathie's post, "Pennies for Poop" to find out why! and read "More
Poop!" for an update!
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“This restroom facility project is really going to help
PCEI’s ability to do educational programming
at the Nature Center. Not only will the construction of this facility
be completed through adult sustainability workshops, but it will result
in a facility that will improve our ability to handle more people, and
put us in a position to expand the use and impact of our Nature
Center.”
- Tom Lamar, PCEI Executive Director
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Compost Toilet Design
The building design was started this spring (2011), and completed with
the granting of the building permit on October 13, 2011. Thank you to
Kurt Rathmann, Cass Tyler, Emily McGuire, and John Anderson for
shepherding us through the design and permitting process! We broke
ground on November 1, 2011 and built foundation forms on Sunday,
November 6 (thank you Steve Streets, Randy Stevens, and Hanna Long)! We
received our first building inspection on November 8, and poured
concrete that afternoon with the wonderful help of Kathie LaFortune,
Mitch Freeman and Jana Callanan!
Kathie finished the day by pressing some bicycle and river rafting
mementos from Jim into the soft foundation concrete. With the help of
WSU Center for Civic Engagement students, the project site has now been
bundled up for winter weather, and is ready for wall construction in the
spring of 2012 as temperatures permit!
View images of the
ground-breaking
We expect to construct the Rastra block (Insulated Concrete Forms)
walls with a three-part workshop series. Later this winter, we will
announce the target dates for that workshop series. To learn more about
Rastra blocks and their use in construction, please visit: http://www.rastra.com.
We will also be scheduling floor and ceiling framing sessions, wall
plastering, and stucco workshops. Rainwater collection, and composting
toilet function will also be subjects of later workshops.
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How You Can Help
By the end of November 2011, the Jim LaFortune Memorial Fund reached
$34,192.41 from 188 gifts. That brings us very close to our original
$35,000 goal! Thank you so much for your generosity! In order to
complete the project in 2012, and to complete a wheelchair accessible
pathway to the restroom, we have re-set the goal to $50,000. To
contribute or make a pledge today, visit our payment page, mail a
check to PCEI at PO Box 8596, Moscow, ID, 83843, call us at (208)
882-1444, or stop by our Nature Center (1040 Rodeo Drive, Moscow, ID)
during office hours (M-F, 9-5). You can commit a gift to PCEI, and pay
it later, download our gift form,
fill it out, and send it in!
We are honored by the many friends and family members who have chosen
to remember Jim by contributing to the Jim LaFortune Memorial Fund.
Thank you for continuing Jim's legacy. |
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