House Committee

2021-22 Annual Report

My Brothers of the Valley of Chicago,

This past year the Valley resumed its vigorous schedule of educational, charitable and social events in our home in Bloomingdale. The feedback from all of you was “it feels good to be back home.” In support of you, the House Committee has had a full agenda of ongoing routine maintenance and capital improvement projects during the year.

About three years ago the Board started discussions regarding the need for long-term facility planning, and we created a capital improvement plan for the Valley that extended out 25 years. With that plan came a savings program that would bankroll anticipated costs for major maintenance, systems upgrades and replacements. This past year in addition to our routine maintenance we needed to address several significant items.

During the past year we completed the following house projects:
•Installation and furnishing of the patio lounge enclosure
•Fixing / improving the concrete and masonry on our back patio
•A new asphalt overlay to our parking lot
•Cleaning of the building exterior and resealing of the exterior limestone
•Comprehensive landscaping improvements to enhance the look of our
home from all views, inside and out
•Replacing interior emergency lighting and upgrading light fixtures
to LED in the Grand Hall
•Exterior paver maintenance and replacement

In addition, the following are projects slated for the coming year:
•Installation of a stained glass artifact in the dining hall lobby
•Stage rigging upgrading and maintenance
•Terazzo floor honing and polishing in the Grand hall
•A/V improvement in the theater, dining room and lodge room

I would like to thank the members of our expanded House Committee that helped these improvements become reality this year. This larger group offered a diverse perspective on what should be done and how we should do it. I want to thank President Mike Behm, Antwane Lee, Bob Kogut, Chris Carter, Joel Jaffe, Chad Lacek and Dave Koss for their service to the House Committee. These projects would not have happened without their commitment to the Valley of Chicago.

Sincerely and Fraternally,

Bruce H. Zimmerman, HGA
House Committee Chair