Getting Wooden Stakes into the Ground - HELP!!!

[liriodendron]

I'm beginning to think I have bitten off more than I can chew. I got this $500 grant for a really cool project that is taking place next month. I'm not using the name of the project so that no one can google and find this thread, but basically we are deconstructing a picture book, mounting the pages on cardstock, laminating them, and velcroing them to wooden stakes which will be placed along a nature path at one of the parks in our town. The idea is that families will take a walk and read the story. We'll be there on a particular Saturday to offer a craft for kids that is tied to the story and to distribute "passports" that can be stamped with a rubber stamp and stamp pad that will be placed halfway along the trail. When you bring your stamped passport back to the library, your child gets a small prize (this is our hook to get them back to the library).

My problem is how to get the %@$#*^!#$ wooden stakes into the ground. This type of project has been done quite a bit up in Vermont and they suggest using 4 foot mahogany stakes. I could not find 4 foot mahogany stakes. The nice man at Home Depot told me he had exactly what I needed, sent me off for about 15 minutes while he pulled a pallet from the upper reaches of the universe, counted out 34 stakes, bundled them together, and loaded them in my car for me. It wasn't until I got them back to the library and looked at my receipt (yes, I am that stupid) that I realized that what he sold me was 5 foot oak stakes. *sigh* I called back, got another nice man, explained my whole project, and was told that mahogany would be a special order. I do not have time for a special order, but 5 foot stakes are too tall. This nice man said that if I brought them back that he would cut them down to 4 feet for free.

So, does anyone know if there is any problem with doing that? Are they likely to splinter/split when he cuts them or when I pound on them if I do? Are these oak stakes likely to behave differently than mahogany ones would? Are they heavier (they sure seem heavy, but maybe that's because there are 34 of them bundled together)? The Vermont people said mahogany was better than pine, but is oak better than pine? Pine would sure as hell be lighter than oak, and probably cheaper. And about that pounding...how in the hell do I get them into the ground? This trail is about 3/4 of a mile long. I do not relish carrying 34 stakes, plus a heavy hammer, plus all the signs, and pounding the hell out of each of these stakes to get them into the ground. Do I buy some sort of shorter metal stake and pound on that to start a hole and then replace it with the wooden one and pound less on that? Is there something I'm overlooking in all of this that would make my life easier? I am hoping to talk to the Head of the Parks & Rec Department to see if he might be able to lend me one of his park maintainers and a golf cart to help me to do this job. I'm thinking that it couldn't hurt if I showed up with a big plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies when I asked.

Remind me again why I thought this was ever a good idea in the first place? I guess the only thing in my favor is that at least the ground should be on the softer side this time of year.

HELP!!!!!

[jspnrvr]

Oak stakes will be fine, lirio, they won't splinter or split. I take it the boys at Home Depot cut them off to a point, right? You shouldn't need any "starter" hole. A nice, simple, one-hand 3# sledge should do the trick to drive them.

I do like the idea of a helper from Parks and Rec, if the bureaucracy doesn't get in the way; you know, have to fill out special paperwork to loan a guy out, or something, paying out of the library budget.

Two big plates of homemade cookies; one of chocolate chip, one with M&M's. Ooh, ooh! And a third plate, one with Reeses Pieces!

[Jane]

Sounds like one of those ideas that sounds really good until you actually have to do it. Good luck! You have sons, don't you? Put them to work!

[joew]

As I recall, oak is hardwood (as is mahogany), whereas pine is soft. So I think it would not be a good idea to go to pine.

When you're thinking about the length of the stakes, be sure to take into account the portion that will be in the ground. (E.g. if you — or somebody else — drive 5 foot stakes 1 1/2 feet into the ground, you'll end up with stakes that appear 3 1/2 feet tall. If you have them cut down to 4 feet, and you drive them 1 1/2 feet into the ground, they'll appear to be 2 1/2 feet high.)

BTW, when I first noticed the title about wooden stakes, I immediately thought it had to do with vampires. Then I saw the bit about the ground. LOL

[liriodendron]

These only need to be in the ground for one day (though we might leave them for up to a week if the Head of Parks & Rec does not object). Do you think they really need to go in 1 1/2 feet? YIKES! That's a lot of pounding! And Jane, only one of my boys is still at home and he'll be in school during the day on the Friday when we need to pound these into the ground. (Vampires? Eeek!)

[gailkate]

1. This is a fabulous idea! Do not second guess yourself for a single moment.

2. Why are you having to contemplate doing this all on your own? Help from Parks is good, but aren't there other library people who can help you steady each stake and take turns pounding? Soft ground or not, this is going to be hard work.

3. You don't need 1.5 ft to hold a poster board. I think Joe automatically thought about fence posts, but I'd guess 6-8" would do for a poster board for one day.

4. The sweet Library Lady said 'hell' 3 times in one paragraph. She needs a tall glass of something other than milk to go with those cookies. Or maybe a couple of powerful Irish coffees.


We await the next installment eagerly.

[doctork]

I don't know about posts, but Jay is pretty good with those home project, so - what he says. And yeah, points on the end is a good idea.

Like Joe, when I saw "wooden stakes" I thought vampires too!.

[liriodendron]

I haven't had them cut to 4 feet yet. I need to drag them out of the storage room and back into my car tomorrow after storyhour and drive them back over so the nice man can cut them. He better not call in sick. They already have a point on one end.

I do have an assistant who can help me to carry and pound, but I'm not sure how many other library employees I can pull away from their work to do this. We have only seven full time employees and my assistant (who is also a librarian and is young enough to be my daughter) and I are the only two in the Children's Department. I could pay some of my part time staff to help, I suppose, but none of them really strike me as the type to put be able to put a good deal of oomph behind a hammer. One of them is a very young 80.

The sweet library lady needs to stop applying for grants. She just learned last month that she got a $3000 one for another project. She honestly didn't think she'd get it, although she thought it was a good idea, since she wrote the entire proposal in one day (well, not counting all the writing she did in her head before she sat down at the computer to actually write the darn thing - you really should not reward a procrastinator like this - it only encourages them.) There are bound to be quite a few more expletives coming out of her mouth before this year is over. Heck, Summer Reading isn't even here yet!

[BoatBabe]

Apr 7, 2014 0:03:11 GMT -5 gailkate said:

1. This is a fabulous idea! Do not second guess yourself for a single moment.

2. Why are you having to contemplate doing this all on your own? Help from Parks is good, but aren't there other library people who can help you steady each stake and take turns pounding? Soft ground or not, this is going to be hard work.

3. You don't need 1.5 ft to hold a poster board. I think Joe automatically thought about fence posts, but I'd guess 6-8" would do for a poster board for one day.

4. The sweet Library Lady said 'hell' 3 times in one paragraph. She needs a tall glass of something other than milk to go with those cookies. Or maybe a couple of powerful Irish coffees.


We await the next installment eagerly.

I thought exactly what Gail thought, especially about the "hell" part. I think this project is going to require some pictures.


And congratulations on your grant writing skills, Lirio! You may want to hire your own staff if you are going to keep this up.

[liriodendron]

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!

The wonderful Head of Parks & Rec is going to lend me guys and golf carts and sledge hammers to get this job done! He's even blocking out the time on two separate mornings right before our event in case one of the days looks like lousy weather. My assistant and I get to go with them and just point to the spots where we want the stakes and they will pound them in for us. We can attach the heavy duty velcro to hold the laminated book pages after they are finished. How sweet is that?

And I didn't even show up with any cookies (but I probably will on the day that we pound all those stakes)!

Life is good.

[BoatBabe]

HA! What a great report, Lirio! What a great community.

[doctork]

Sorry to have to tell you this, but you really need to keep writing the grants because success begets more success, and as public funding gets cut, you'll need the extra money. However, you could certainly use some of the funds to pay for some hired help with the post pounding. And of course, some money could be spent on "refreshments."

Besides, the grant writing skills may come in handy in another life. I noticed grant writing was very similar to writing a business plan, which they taught us how to do in MBA school; this was very helpful when I turned to academic life. They say "The dean may not be able to read, but he definitely knows how to count!" The dean can count dollars and so can the library superintendent, and they almost never lay off the employees who bring in lots of dollars, even when times are tough.

Better yet, in my next life there was a contest involving writing a business plan for new new corporate business endeavor. I won second prize, which was $15,000! And the reason it was "better" is because in business, if you write a prize-winning business plan, you get to keep the prize money for yourself. Private enterprise at its best, so hang in there.

[gailkate]

Very good advice for us ordinary mortals, but Lirio obviously radiates charm. She can muster eager lieutenants with a smile.

[liriodendron]

Apr 9, 2014 0:02:31 GMT -5 gailkate said:

Very good advice for us ordinary mortals, but Lirio obviously radiates charm. She can muster eager lieutenants with a smile.

It probably didn't hurt that I baked dozens and dozens of chocolate chip cookies and took them over to Town Hall on Valentine's Day, either. LOL But seriously, I work with some really nice people here in my town.

[BoatBabe]

HA! We knew cookies were involved somewhere. Good job, Lirio!! Smart gal.

[doctork]

Wise words: Carpe cookie!

[gailkate]

You know, about those nice people in her town - it's a joy to see how much happier Lirio is now than she was in her old job.  Sometimes things turn out just the way they're supposed to!  We don't get to hear from her nearly enough, but it's because she's so Busy-Happy-Fulfilled she can't wait to dream up some new project.  Pretty darn good deal.

[BoatBabe]

Apr 5, 2014 4:16:30 GMT -5 liriodendron said:

I got this $500 grant for a really cool project that is taking place next month.

Has your Construction Day happened yet, Lirio? I'm guessing not, since there are no pictures.





When does your event take place?

[gailkate]

I've been thinking the same thing - we need pictures!

[liriodendron]

The event is this Saturday. Keep your fingers crossed for nice weather.

[BoatBabe]

Apr 29, 2014 19:43:33 GMT -5 liriodendron said:

The event is this Saturday. Keep your fingers crossed for nice weather.

So, the Stake Planting Party is yet to come? Good Luck!


[Two Thumbs Up!!]

[Gracie]

Can't wait to hear about it! I think this sounds like such a great idea

[doctork]

Lirio I am always amazed at your creativity and energy. Your wonderful ideas seem endless.

To think back to a time when you wondered if you could really be a Children's Librarian! Obviously you have a Gift for it, far more valuable than any formal degree training could ever be.

Yes, pictures would be great, but mainly keep up the good work for the kids in your community. Instilling a love of books, reading and learning will make a positive difference in their lives forever.

[BoatBabe]

Apr 29, 2014 19:43:33 GMT -5 liriodendron said:

The event is this Saturday. Keep your fingers crossed for nice weather.

A-Hem.

[liriodendron]

Everything went really, really well! We had lovely weather, sunny (for the most part) and in the low to mid 60's. We had over 150 people do the walk and nearly 80 kids complete the craft. Many people asked if we would be doing it again next year and said really nice things about the event. Best of all was pulling in some families who just happened to be at the park and familiarizing them with the wonderful kinds of programs that the library offers (though we were also thrilled to see so many of our regular library users coming to the park specifically to do the walk and the craft). All in all, now that it's over, I'm really happy that we did it. Of course, I am now up to my ears in Summer Reading preparations. A Children's Librarian's work is never done.

[BoatBabe]

What a great community response to your wonderful and creative idea, Lirio!

And to be asked for an annual repeat is quite a compliment. Who gets to store the stakes for a year?

[doctork]

How wonderful!!

Kudos to you, your staff and the community for your efforts. That will make such a difference in kids' lives. I'm sure you know that especially once school is out for the summer, many kids don't have any way other than the public library to maintain their reading and other education skills attained during the school year.

When I was a kid my mother took me to the library once a week (it was a little too far to ride on my bike safely), and it was a highlight of the week for me. I just loved reading books, so that worked for me. But for those kids who haven't yet acquired a love of reading, all the "extras" you add can make such a difference.

We participate in the "Reach Out & Read" program at our clinic. At every Well Child Check Up between 6 months and 5 years of age, we give the child a book of their own. Many live on the rez and don't have access to a library or to books otherwise. You should see their eyes light up wen I give them a book. And I learn a lot about their experience at home with books just by watching what they do with that book.

The families in your community are so lucky you and your library are there!

[gailkate]

So cool! Liri's event was almost too successful (BB's right about storing those stakes ) and K is giving out books! The earlier you snag a kid with books, the better the chance of holding them against a 100% gaming future. 

[liriodendron]

Well, Parks & Rec offered to store the stakes, but I turned them down. I don't have money in my budget to buy new ones if they can't find them the next time I need them. I think I'll duct tape them together in smaller bundles, though, so they aren't so heavy to lug around, and stash them in the corner in the boiler room (no point using up my "good" storage space for something I won't need until next year).

[Jane]

Yay for you! It's always wonderful when something you put a lot of time and thought into works out the way you want it to! And I can remember when you weren't sure you could do this job...HA!