2007-05-08 YMCA Capital Improvement ProjectBL,AIIZ FAMILY YMCA
CAPITAL CAMPAIGN 2007
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Campaign Office
1278 Wilbur Street
Blair, NE 68008
402.533.6922 ext.1006
Fax: 402.533.9624
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April 19, 2007
Mayor and City Council Members
City of Blair
218 South 16th Street
Blair, NE 68008
Honorable Mayor and Council Members:
We are writing to request an allocation from the Blair City Keno Fund
to the Blair Family YMCA of $25,000 per year for 3 years, totaling
$75,000, beginning in 2007.
The Blair Family YMCA is undertaking a capital fundraising campaign
to raise $2,500,000 in gifts and 3 -year pledges for the purpose of
completing the funding of its new state-of-the-art facility and making
several additions and improvements.
Since the new YMCA facility was built, membership at the Blair
Family YMCA has grown from a total of 2,600 members in 2002 to
currently 4,900 total members. The Blair Family YMCA serves men,
women, and children of all ages, faiths, backgrounds, abilities and
income levels. At the heart of community life throughout the Blair
area, the mission -driven YMCA is "a place to belong" and to live the
values that guide and unite its members: caring, honesty, respect and
responsibility. The Y is widely recognized as a valuable asset to area
families and to the area economy and quality of life.
The Blair Family YMCA is fiscally sound. For the past 3 years it has
operated with a balanced budget, including investing in a maintenance
reserve. However, it is carrying a burdensome mortgage debt on its
new facility.
When the original campaign to build the new YMCA building was
begun, it was assumed that there would need to be a second campaign,
partly to complete the funding of the new facility and partly to fund
possible future additions. As a result of the difference between final
building costs and final fundraising figures, the Blair Family YMCA is
carrying a mortgage debt of approximately $1,900,000. For the
financial health of the organization, and for the sake of continuing and
improving programs and services for its members and the larger
community, it is imperative and urgent that this burdensome mortgage debt be paid
down and eliminated.
In addition, several needed improvements and additions are being planned for the Blair
YMCA facility, including additional parking, enhancements to the pool and hot tub,
and improvements to the Youth Activities Room. These improvements, along with a
future building addition dedicated to the child care programs, depend on completing
the funding of the new building and retiring the mortgage.
A campaign feasibility study undertaken in the fall of 2006 indicated that a capital
campaign was necessary and that a goal of $2,500,000 would be reasonable.
Accordingly, the Blair Family YMCA Board of Directors has commissioned Capital
Campaign 2007, with a goal of raising $2,500,000 for these purposes:
Mortgage retirement — paid down over 3-4 years
Interest payments over 3-4 year period
Fundraising costs
Facility improvements & additions
Additional parking
Pool enhancements (fountain, sprayer, slide)
In -ground hot tub
Youth Activity Room improvements
TOTAL
$1,900,000
300,000
100,000
200,000
90,000
45,000
35,000
30,000
$2,500,000
Gifts and pledges of up to three years are now being sought from area corporations
and foundations and prominent families, from the membership of the Blair Family
YMCA, and from interested individuals and businesses in the Blair and Omaha area.
It is our hope, and that of the YMCA Board of Directors, that the Blair City Keno
Fund can help put the YMCA on a firm financial footing and thereby help fulfill the
YMCA's mission of service to all. We look forward to your response to this request.
Sincerely,
t
Mike arleyv
Campaign Co -Chair
Executive Director