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About Friends
During the fall of 2023, a group of like-minded individuals saw an imminent need. The Les Voigt State Fish Hatchery on the banks of Pikes Creek just south of Bayfield Wisconsin, has an iconic building with a gigantic backstory.
The building is overflowing with history, with stories, and with achievement. It is also 126 years old and in need of renovation, remediation, and good old tender loving care. With the backing of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the 501(c)3 non-profit “The Friends of The R.D. Pike Building, Inc.”, was born.
The group was formed for the express purpose of preserving and restoring a National Historic Building and providing education to all on the history that lies therein.
Our mission is as follows:
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Maintain the R.D. Pike Hatchery Building and surroundings as historically accurate as reasonable.
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Produce and design signage and programs to teach the history of the R.D. Pike Building and property.
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Improve the R.D. Pike Building so that it can service the needs of the surrounding communities.

Our Goals
The “Friends” have a number of goals.
We aim to renovate and return the building to its original glory.
We plan to provide an interpretive experience where children and adults can learn about the people, their experiences, the grounds, gardens, and the vital fish culturing work that still takes place on these premises.
Through tours, expressive signage, and promotion, we hope to introduce the next generations to what took place and what truly is possible through hard work, fair dealing and inspiration.
We have no illusions. The work will take several years and require a substantial investment. We will need your help to bring this dream to life.
Get Involved!
We have no illusions. The work will take several years and require a substantial investment. We will need your help to bring this dream to life.
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Below are a couple options for becoming part of this exciting adventure!

1
Make a
Donation
As we've stated belore, realizing this dream will require a substantial investment. Your support will be critical to the success of this project!
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You can help by donating securely online or by mailing a check to:
Friends of the R.D. Pike Building, Inc.
PO Box 511
Washburn, WI 54891-0511
Friends of the R.D. Pike Building is a 501(c)3 organization. Donations are tax deductible within applicable laws.
2
Volunteer
We are just getting started with planning and some basic grounds work. We are not fully certain of all the volunteer options at this point.
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However, we would like to build a list of interested volunteers so when the time comes, we can email you about the various options.
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Please complete the Volunteer Interest form to get on the list.