Community Center Communiqué – February 2017

You made it happen! The Jacksonville Community Center (JCC) recognizes that it takes a village to build a community center and the Board wants to extend its deepest gratitude and appreciation to the countless Jacksonville residents who over the past 15 years have contributed time, energy, money and expertise to bring the community center so close to reality. Look for an announcement in February about a ground breaking event for the Center.

First, you donated $40,000 in matching funds so that the Collins Foundation awarded its $40,000 challenge grant to build a community center. Then you provided the momentum and credibility so that Dr. Douglas and Jane Naversen donated $40,000 to JCC. The Jacksonville Seniors, Inc. will very shortly cut a check for $153,200 to JCC. Finally, this broad community support to JCC was critical in leading The Ford Family Foundation to award JCC a $150,000 grant in early January.

“This has been a total community endeavor,” happily exclaims Rick Patsche, JCC President. “No one person or one organization can take responsibility for this accomplishment,” says Patsche. “The entire city can stand up and take a bow for a job well done,” states Jeanena White Wilson, JCC Vice President and longtime Jacksonville activist.

According to Sue Miler, who wrote the grant proposal to The Ford Family Foundation, JCC now has raised $523,000—leaving only $35,000 remaining to reach the project’s cash goal of the $558,000 needed to build and equip the Center.

The Board of the Jacksonville Community Center is keenly aware that our success rests on so many individuals and groups:

the thousands that purchased items from the Senior Thrift Store over the years, resulting in the $153,000 gift from Jacksonville Seniors, Inc.

the artists and volunteers whose longtime work on the Celebrate the Arts festival raised $50,000 for JCC

the scores of Jacksonville residents, businesses and organizations that made contributions in the last year

the foundations that awarded grants to JCC—The Ford Family Foundation, the Collins Foundation, the Carpenter Foundation, the West Family Foundation and the Jacksonville Boosters Foundation.

We extend our gratitude to all of you for your help and support. We are so close to the finish line for meeting our fundraising goal. But we must ask our residents to dig deep one last time to help us raise the final $35,000. If you have already contributed, consider asking a friend to give. Please use the form below to help us get down the home stretch. And again, thank you Jacksonville!

Click on this form to donate online!