By Greg Halbleib
BLOOMINGTON-NORMAL – Campaign organizers say 85 percent of their goal has been reached to raise $16 million for a new Bloomington-Normal YMCA-Easterseals facility.
YMCA CEO B.J. Wilken said the community phase of the fundraising campaign has a goal of $1 million. Wilken said he hopes to raise a quarter of that in a concert by local acoustic band Fiona Way next Friday, May 3 at the Castle Theater.
“We hoped to be into the home stretch in early 2019 and here we are,” Wilken said in a release. “Now we just need the rest of our community to join us and close out the fundraising, so we can break ground and get underway,”
Easterseals of Central Illinois Vice President of Development Cathy Oloffson added organizers hope to finish the campaign this year, and that ground won’t be broken on a new facility until reaching the $16 million goal.
“As community nonprofits, both the YMCA and Easterseals rely on capital donations for our construction,” Oloffson added.
Wilken announced 26 volunteers have been added to the campaign committee for the community phase. Capital Campaign is co-chaired by Steve Snyder and Julie Dobski. Among the volunteers are Bob Dobski, Steve and Christel Denault, Jan Egbers, Bob Fleming Jr., Dee Frautschi, Jim Ginzkey, Tom Good, Leo Hermes, Connie Mandula, David Osnowitz, Keith Palmgren, Barry Reilly, John Robertson Sr., John and Vickie Robertson, Rene Shaffer, Jim Shirk, Paul and Mary Smith, Carl Sneed, David Stark, Greg Yount, Rockie Ziegler. Former State Farm CEO Ed Rust serves as a special advisor to the campaign.
Last year, OSF Saint Joseph Medical Center donated six acres of land along East Washington Street in Bloomington for the new building. Plans for the facility include an indoor competitive pool and warm water therapy pool, a full-size gymnasium, health and wellness center, teen and senior program center, as well as consultation and therapy space for Easterseals’ client families and their children.
Greg Halbleib can be reached at [email protected].
