Boulder, Colorado, 27 October 2003 - Heritage Conservation Network has been awarded a $4,000 grant from the Society for the Preservation of Old Mills (SPOOM) in support of a hands-on building conservation workshop to be held at the Francis Mill, Waynesville, NC, in 2004.

The funds will be used to cover the cost of technical expert Jeff Finch, who will lead the workshop. The workshop is scheduled for July 11 - 24, 2004. The workshop has two primary purposes: providing training in the restoration of post and beam structures and providing labor and technical assistance to the Francis Mill Preservation Society. The Society has just begun the process of restoring the circa 1887 grist mill to working condition. During the workshop, Mr. Finch will teach and guide participants as they address the deterioration in the large wooden sills supporting the mill. Participants will learn how to deal with decay in the major posts and beams as well as how to recreate the fine detailing when replacing and repairing structural elements.

Mr. Finch is a historic building specialist based in Franklin, New York. He has more than twenty-five years of building restoration experience and has his own preservation consulting firm, Heritage Restoration Services. He recently completed a masonry and millwork project at Sagamore Hill, the home of Teddy Roosevelt. Past restoration projects include the Hampton Farmhouse, Towson, MD; Swamp Locks Dam, Lowell, MA; the Noyes/Parris House, Wayland, MA; the Morrisville, NY, Village Library; and St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Chittenango, NY. Mr. Finch also served as the technical expert for HCN's 2002 workshop at the Allen-Weathers House in Oxford, Alabama.

To learn how to participate in restoration work at the Francis Mill, contact Heritage Conservation Network at 303 444 0128 or visit their web site: www.heritageconservation.net.

Heritage Conservation Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of architectural heritage around the world. Through a network of experts, volunteers and community members, the organization aims to increase awareness of the significance of historic sites and foster the appreciation of varied cultures. HCN's workshops stimulate a community's interest in and knowledge of appropriate conservation skills, helping provide for the long-term preservation of its significant structures and sites.