Black Lake Cottages Revitalization
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Donations Earn Reward Credits Towards a Stay at Black Lake Cottages
Reward credits make the perfect gift for family or friends. Use them for a romantic weekend getaway, to host a family reunion at Black Lake Cottages, bachelor/bachelorette weekends, fishing trips, etc. See sponsorship details at the bottom of the page.
Black Lake Cottages (formerly Indian Head Point) in Hammond, NY has been family owned for 30 years. Originally comprised of 10 cottages, the vacation cottage rental business now consists of 6 quaint cottages in need of restoration. Each building is in a different state of disrepair, ranging from rentable to uninhabitable. Owner Lee Hill is currently trying to resurrect the family business after having been closed for several years due to unforeseen life circumstances. This was to be her relaunch summer and then Covid-19 crippled the world.
I only recently met Lee, but was immediately struck by her passion for the property and her desire to share it with others. The property is truly majestic. It sits on the northwest side of picturesque Black Lake, at the widest part, facing south with sweeping views of the lake. Large hundred year old maple trees provide shade on hot days and add to the enchantment of the property.
The fact that the property is in disrepair is no fault of her own. It's simply due to circumstance. Lee is not neglectful or afraid to get her hands dirty. She runs the business and tirelessly attends to the property alone. She's up at sunrise and spends the entire day weeding, pruning and caring for 2 acre lakefront parcel of land. When the grass is too long, she hops on the zero radius mower and spends the next two hours grooming the grounds. When the dock is out of level she's in the water making adjusting the posts. If a guest has an issue she's right there to immediately remedy it.
Lee works as hard, if not harder, than any person I've ever known. This is why I want to help her. People who are as passionate, hardworking and dedicated as Lee deserve the generosity of others.
My name is Stephen King and I am a contractor and entrepreneur. I'm currently living in one of Lee's cottages with my wife and 9 year old daughter. We own a cottage in Canada where we spend our summers, but with the border closed we were unable to get to our summer home.
The deal Lee and I struck was my family and I would receive living accommodations in exchange for my contracting services. Lee had a short list of projects she wanted to complete over the summer which included new steel roofs on two of the cottages, replacing some siding and other miscellaneous items. However, when we arrived at Black Lake Cottages on July 5, 2020 I immediately realized the repairs and renovations the property required went beyond the short list Lee had given me.
As previously mentioned, the cottages are not all in the same state of disrepair. The one we're living in just needs some TLC and updating. However, the one in the photo below has no running water and is, literally, at risk of collapsing. I estimate that, on average, each cottage needs approximately $15K in repairs/renovations/updating. Some, like the one with no running water, might need $30K while another might only need $5K. There's also the aforementioned dock that needs to be extended and outfitted with proper rigging to raise it out of the water for the winter.
Since it's unlikely my family and I will get to Canada this summer, I will personally be doing the majority of the work in July and August. My goal is to fully update one of the four cottages that is rentable now and create a template that can easily be applied to the remaining three. I will also develop detailed renovation plans for the two other cottages, each of which is 100 years old. These will include structural improvements for the pier foundations, electrical and plumbing upgrades, etc.
In addition to providing gratis contracting services, I will also develop and implement a comprehensive internet marketing strategy aimed at repositioning and rebranding the business. This will include a new website with an online booking system (www.blacklakecottages.com), targeted keywords, search engine optimization, social media (www.instagram.com/blacklakecottages and www.facebook.com/blacklakecottage) and a listing on Airbnb.
100% of the donations received through this GoFundMe campaign will go toward the renovations, repairs and improvements at Black Lake Cottages. I will personally review any and all work estimates not being performed by me, co-manage the distribution of all funds with Lee and continue to serve as an advisor to Lee when the summer ends. Lastly, my family and I will kickstart the campaign by donating the first $500 toward the $100,000 goal.
Thank you for your consideration. Your support of this campaign will help restore the original beauty and grandeur of Black Lake Cottages. I know Lee will be extremely grateful for any donations received, no matter how great or how small, as will I.
Regards,
Stephen King
Sponsorship Levels & Benefits
Earn reward credits towards a stay at Black Lake Cottages, including free nights and free weeks. Rewards are transferable to family members, friends, etc. You may also donate rewards to your own charitable auctions or fund raisers.
Friend donations of <$50 are greatly appreciated and earn the gratitude of Black Lake Cottages.
Supporter $50 - $250 earn a 50% credit towards a stay, e.g. donate $200 and receive a $100 credit toward a stay.*
Donor $500 receive 3 free nights.*
Benefactor $1,000 receive a $350 credit towards a week rental for 3 years (1 week per year).*
Philanthropist (only 6 available) $5,000 have a cottage dedicated in your name or the name of your choosing.** A wood engraved plaque (similar to the image below) will be prominently displayed on a cottage. In addition, receive 3 free weeks (1 week per year) for 3 years.*
* Subject to availability. Major U.S. holidays excluded, e.g. July 4th and Labor Day. Reward credits will be applied to the current rental rate at the time of booking.
** Subject to final approval by owner.
Reward credits make the perfect gift for family or friends. Use them for a romantic weekend getaway, to host a family reunion at Black Lake Cottages, bachelor/bachelorette weekends, fishing trips, etc. See sponsorship details at the bottom of the page.
Black Lake Cottages (formerly Indian Head Point) in Hammond, NY has been family owned for 30 years. Originally comprised of 10 cottages, the vacation cottage rental business now consists of 6 quaint cottages in need of restoration. Each building is in a different state of disrepair, ranging from rentable to uninhabitable. Owner Lee Hill is currently trying to resurrect the family business after having been closed for several years due to unforeseen life circumstances. This was to be her relaunch summer and then Covid-19 crippled the world.
I only recently met Lee, but was immediately struck by her passion for the property and her desire to share it with others. The property is truly majestic. It sits on the northwest side of picturesque Black Lake, at the widest part, facing south with sweeping views of the lake. Large hundred year old maple trees provide shade on hot days and add to the enchantment of the property.
The fact that the property is in disrepair is no fault of her own. It's simply due to circumstance. Lee is not neglectful or afraid to get her hands dirty. She runs the business and tirelessly attends to the property alone. She's up at sunrise and spends the entire day weeding, pruning and caring for 2 acre lakefront parcel of land. When the grass is too long, she hops on the zero radius mower and spends the next two hours grooming the grounds. When the dock is out of level she's in the water making adjusting the posts. If a guest has an issue she's right there to immediately remedy it.
Lee works as hard, if not harder, than any person I've ever known. This is why I want to help her. People who are as passionate, hardworking and dedicated as Lee deserve the generosity of others.
My name is Stephen King and I am a contractor and entrepreneur. I'm currently living in one of Lee's cottages with my wife and 9 year old daughter. We own a cottage in Canada where we spend our summers, but with the border closed we were unable to get to our summer home.
The deal Lee and I struck was my family and I would receive living accommodations in exchange for my contracting services. Lee had a short list of projects she wanted to complete over the summer which included new steel roofs on two of the cottages, replacing some siding and other miscellaneous items. However, when we arrived at Black Lake Cottages on July 5, 2020 I immediately realized the repairs and renovations the property required went beyond the short list Lee had given me.
As previously mentioned, the cottages are not all in the same state of disrepair. The one we're living in just needs some TLC and updating. However, the one in the photo below has no running water and is, literally, at risk of collapsing. I estimate that, on average, each cottage needs approximately $15K in repairs/renovations/updating. Some, like the one with no running water, might need $30K while another might only need $5K. There's also the aforementioned dock that needs to be extended and outfitted with proper rigging to raise it out of the water for the winter.
Since it's unlikely my family and I will get to Canada this summer, I will personally be doing the majority of the work in July and August. My goal is to fully update one of the four cottages that is rentable now and create a template that can easily be applied to the remaining three. I will also develop detailed renovation plans for the two other cottages, each of which is 100 years old. These will include structural improvements for the pier foundations, electrical and plumbing upgrades, etc.
In addition to providing gratis contracting services, I will also develop and implement a comprehensive internet marketing strategy aimed at repositioning and rebranding the business. This will include a new website with an online booking system (www.blacklakecottages.com), targeted keywords, search engine optimization, social media (www.instagram.com/blacklakecottages and www.facebook.com/blacklakecottage) and a listing on Airbnb.
100% of the donations received through this GoFundMe campaign will go toward the renovations, repairs and improvements at Black Lake Cottages. I will personally review any and all work estimates not being performed by me, co-manage the distribution of all funds with Lee and continue to serve as an advisor to Lee when the summer ends. Lastly, my family and I will kickstart the campaign by donating the first $500 toward the $100,000 goal.
Thank you for your consideration. Your support of this campaign will help restore the original beauty and grandeur of Black Lake Cottages. I know Lee will be extremely grateful for any donations received, no matter how great or how small, as will I.
Regards,
Stephen King
Sponsorship Levels & Benefits
Earn reward credits towards a stay at Black Lake Cottages, including free nights and free weeks. Rewards are transferable to family members, friends, etc. You may also donate rewards to your own charitable auctions or fund raisers.
Friend donations of <$50 are greatly appreciated and earn the gratitude of Black Lake Cottages.
Supporter $50 - $250 earn a 50% credit towards a stay, e.g. donate $200 and receive a $100 credit toward a stay.*
Donor $500 receive 3 free nights.*
Benefactor $1,000 receive a $350 credit towards a week rental for 3 years (1 week per year).*
Philanthropist (only 6 available) $5,000 have a cottage dedicated in your name or the name of your choosing.** A wood engraved plaque (similar to the image below) will be prominently displayed on a cottage. In addition, receive 3 free weeks (1 week per year) for 3 years.*
* Subject to availability. Major U.S. holidays excluded, e.g. July 4th and Labor Day. Reward credits will be applied to the current rental rate at the time of booking.
** Subject to final approval by owner.
Organizer and beneficiary
Stephen King
Organizer
Hammond, NY
Lee Zappia Hill
Beneficiary