The Parkside Activities Center received a huge victory on Wednesday November 14, as the Vision Iowa Board granted the project $800,000 contingent on completion of local fundraising over the following 120 days. “We are grateful to the Vision Iowa Board for seeing all the positives Wellman has to offer and were thrilled when they told us they firmly believe our city is taking a huge step in the right direction,” said Mayor Ryan Miller, who has been a long-time supporter of this project. Miller, along with Allen Leichty and Tom Buckwalter was in Des Moines to meet with the Vision Iowa Board and on hand to receive the news.
With $5,165,836 raised, project organizers report additional local giving must reach between $480,000 and $750,000 depending on some items being negotiated.
Allen Leichty offered a breakdown of the money raised for the daycare and community activities center. His analysis showed that $3, 268,375 is coming from grants and awards, $1,030,000 from local and county governmental entities, and $867,461 through private donations and pledges. “That means over 62-percent of what has been raised is coming from sources outside our community,” he noted. Leichty also indicated that 232 households are included on the private donation side, which is equal to slightly more than half the number of households within the Wellman city limits. “It does not mean that half the households in Wellman have pledged, though. Many of those existing pledges are from rural Wellman homes and homes in surrounding communities.”
The project’s steering committee will now be working to complete the local fundraising requirement of the project. All involved in the project feel very positive that the amount needed is a very attainable number. If every household within the city of Wellman were to divide the total needed, it would cost each between 58 and 90-cents per day over a 5-year period. For a five-member household, that would between 12 and 18-cents per person.
“Thanks to this grant and some very generous local donations, the Parkside Activities Center received $985,000 in just under 28 hours,” said Leichty, “We have to believe it is going to happen now.” “We have to believe that even those who have been skeptical of this project for some time would not want to give up over $3,000,000 being handed this community,” added Buckwalter.
Buckwalter also noted how the Vision Iowa Process helped him focus on what a great community Wellman is. “When you compare what has been done on this project to some of those presented by other communities, many with much larger populations, what the people of Wellman have done and continue to do is nothing less than amazing. I wish everyone could have gone through this process. It’s no wonder that board had such high praise for our city.”
Organizers of the project urge anyone who wants to be a part of keeping this project and funding in our community to call and pledge their support. Pledges and donations can be made by contacting Tom Buckwalter or Allen Leichty. Potential donors may also pledge their financial support at either Hills Bank and Trust or Federation Bank in Wellman.
For further information regarding this story, contact Allen Leichty, Tom Buckwalter, Marty Van Roekel, Bob Freeman, Pat Freeman, Susan McClellen, Kim Stout, or Kris Kaalberg.
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