Strong support brings Ashland capital campaign over $150,000
BY JOHN E. USALIS, Ashland Bureau Chief - News Item
03/03/2006
ASHLAND - Capital campaign goal: $175,000. Pledged so far: $151,475.
Percentage of goal: 87 percent. Show of support by the community:
Priceless.
Seven weeks ago, Ashland Downtown Inc. (ADI) launched
"The Campaign for Ashland" to raise the necessary matching
funds to be considered for membership in the Pennsylvania Main Street
Program. That $175,000 goal is almost in reach.
Moving forward with the speed of a diesel locomotive,
"The Campaign for Ashland" has surpassed the $150,000 mark,
taking it within 13 percent of the goal.
The fantastic news was announced during a "business
after hours mixer" at Community Banks last week. The evening
was meant as a chance for business, organization, education and government
leaders to discuss the downtown revitalization effort and the capital
campaign in a casual, social setting.
However, to the surprise of many attendees, the mixer
also turned out to be a venue for several major announcements that
took the campaign from a pledge total of $81,225 to $151,475 in a
one-week period.
After being welcomed by Community Banks' Ashland office
manager Barbara Mullins, ADI Board President Louis Rader provided
a brief overview of the creation of ADI and its mission to revitalize
the downtown business strict, which stretches along Centre Street
from First to 13th streets.
Rader thanked the support from many individuals and
groups. He specifically thanked the contributions of Community Banks
and M&T Bank in providing a headquarters to work from, the furniture
to work on, and other kinds of support that help in the group's overall
efforts.
Rader announced several pledges to the campaign, including
$2,000 from The News-Item/Schuylkill Saturday, $2,500 from Regional
Human Services Associates Inc., which operates Ashland Behavioral
Center, and $2,000 from Ashland Elks Lodge No. 384.
"There are also a number of large businesses here
tonight to express their support of the goals and objectives of revitalizing
and restoring Ashland to what we need it to be," said Rader.
Mullins, along with regional President Steve Barth,
presented a check for $3,000 for 2006 to the campaign.
Three representatives from Goulds Pumps/ITT Industries
- Craig Horwedel, general manager; Nancy Bridy, chief financial officer;
and Henry Wetzel, welder - came to the podium to announce the company's
$25,000 pledge to the campaign.
"We want to show our support for everything going
on here in Ashland," said Horwedel. "We're proud to be an
active member of the community and are looking forward to see the
whole area revitalized."
Rader then introduced Buzz Rebuck of Tri-State Envelope
Corp., who spoke of the company's interest in the community.
"Tri-State Envelope has been a proud member of
the community of Ashland for the past 40 years," said Rebuck.
"We take great pride in our town. We'd like to thank ADI for
all the work they're doing to make Ashland a better place for all
of us to live."
Rebuck then announced Tri-State was also pledging $25,000
to the capital campaign.
The campaign is being conducted in three phases:
- Phase I (January) - Ashland large business, professionals
and local government.
- Phase II (February) - Ashland small business.
- Phase III (March/April) - Ashland area residents
and friends.
The campaign is in Phase II, and will be starting Phase
III in the near future.
Raising the $175,000 shows the Pennsylvania Downtown Center and the
Pennsylvania Department of Economic and Community Development that
there is a very strong local commitment and interest in becoming part
of the Pennsylvania Main Street Program. The local financial commitment
will result in Ashland receiving $175,000 in grant funds and be eligible
for more than $500,000 in additional grants to fund revitalization
projects.
Helping with the planning and materials is Upper Schuylkill
Downtowns, which provides assistance on a variety of levels for revitalization
efforts in the boroughs of Ashland, Frackville, Girardville, Mahanoy
City, Ringtown and Shenandoah.
The following donors have pledged $5,000 or more to
the campaign:
Tri-State Envelope Corp., $25,000; Goulds Pumps/ITT Industries, $25,000;
Ashland Downtown Inc., $25,000; Ashland Foundation (Paul and Helen
(Schreck) Reidler), $10,000; Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce, $5,000;
PPL Utilities, $5,000; ADI individual board and committee members,
$13,750.
The following businesses have made substantial pledges
to the campaign over a five-year period:
Community Banks, Service Electric Company, Concept
Medical, Regional Human Services Associates Inc., Driving Technology
Systems, Kim Chappell Insurance Agency, Bracey Pharmacy, American
Computer Associates, Ashland Diesel Inc., Ash-Tec Inc., Ashland Elks
Lodge No 384 and The News-Item/Schuylkill Saturday.
In his closing remarks, Rader made a pledge to everyone
that the ADI board of directors and committee members will always
do their best to justify the faith and confidence that the community
has shown, not only in support of the capital campaign, but for all
the efforts of ADI.
"Because of the type of outpouring of support
that we have in Phase I of the campaign, there's no reason to believe
we should not have the same outpouring for Phase II and Phase III.
And all that means something very special to me. I've said it before
and I think it's worth repeating that Ashland is an extremely lucky
community. It has so much to offer architecturally, in culture and
heritage. There are so many people who recognize that, and many of
you are here this evening who are willing to invest in the future
of Ashland. For that, we thank you very much," said Rader.
© The News Item 2007
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