Three entities involved in downtown Jasper projects teamed up Wednesday to announce a joint community capital campaign called Jasper LEADs which stands for Library, Enrichment, Arts, Downtown. The Jasper LEADs cabinet includes, Advisor-Brad Ward, Dean Vonderheide, Christine Golden, Kit Miracle, Linda Kahle, Courtney Knies, Renee Kabrick, Dave Prechtel, Maureen Braun, and Mayor Terry Seitz.
At the news conference on Wednesday morning at Jasper City Hall Council Chambers, representatives from each entity were present and addressed the public with their vision of the collaboration efforts. Also taking the podium was the Director of Community Philanthropy for Council on Foundations, Brad Ward, and he elaborates on the entities involved with this collaboration and its purpose.
Also, Mayor Terry Seitz provides insight on the stages each entity is currently facing and how this community campaign will help their fund raising initiatives.
Mayor Seitz adds that with the gift challenge from Jim & Pat Thyen of $1.7 million dollars serves as a leverage and spear heading the collaboration of the entities involved towards the goal of $8 million dollars.
Jim & Pat Thyen emphasized the importance of the arts as a tool to recruit talent and challenged the community by asking citizens, to shift energies away from what should be done with the Library at the Mill Street complex and focus on what could be done to successfully revitalize our City of Jasper.
Jim Thyen encouraged the positive outlook for the city’s future and to send that message to the youth of the community. He describes the significance of continually investing together as a community.
Jim Thyen adds that while his wife Pat has served in the arts commission for 25 years they have become aware of the growth the arts sector has in this community.
The Thyen’s declare that they look forward to the future the arts and Jasper in its entirety will lead the next generation, as the community comes together to invest in that future.
The Jasper Public Library will serve as the fiscal agent for Jasper LEADs. Public contributions can be made via their website: www.jasperleads.org.
