File Photo Community members are seen enjoying a meal at the Friendship Room.

ALPENA — Christina Kihn, director of the Friendship Room, told The News that the Friendship Room is still recovering from a fire that occurred there on Nov. 5.

Kihn told The News that when the boiler room caught fire, smoke went throughout the entire building.

“We are trying to get the Friendship Room operational within a couple of weeks,” Kihn stated. She explained that Service Master is “hard at work trying to get us up and running again.”

Kihn added that the Friendship Room is currently operating out of the Trinity Episcopal Church with limited operations.

So far, Kihn explained that Jimmy John’s, Twin Acres 19th Hole, John Benson, Gordon Food Service Store, Starbucks, Court Yard Restaurant, and Perch’s IGA have donated food for meals at the Friendship Room.

According to Kihn, the Friendship Room will have to get a new water heater and that there is extensive damage to their telecommunications, boiler panels, and other electrical systems that were in the boiler room.

“We are going to lose all food items that were wrapped in plastic,” Kihn explained.

She added that they will also have to replace items that have too much smoke damage like electronics that can not be cleaned internally.

Kayla Wikaryasz can be reached at 989-358-5688 or kwikaryasz@TheAlpenaNews.com.