For the Rapids City Times

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – On June 1, the John E Alexander South Wood County YMCA and the Boys and Girls Club of Wisconsin Rapids held the kick off for the public phase of the “Building Futures Together” capital campaign.

This campaign will fund the construction of a new, innovative facility which will house both organizations at the former site of the Rapids Mall.

“At this time, we are seeking support from the community to help address sustainability and expand some of the planned program spaces,” said Kurt Heuer, Building Futures Together Campaign Co-Chair. “Through the incredible generosity of individuals, foundations and corporations, we are close to reaching our goal.”

The affiliation of the former Riverview Hospital Association with Aspirus generated a generous contribution to this project of $5 million. This tremendous donation helped gain momentum and support for the campaign.

“This is about much more than just a building. This campaign has demonstrated the power of collaboration and partnership,” said Todd Burch, Aspirus Riverview Hospital & Clinics CEO. “This is a huge win for our community both in the programming that will be available as well as the statement it makes about who we are and what we are capable of doing.”

Funding raised in the community phase will also support the long-term sustainability and growth of the two organizations, by funding future programs and operational needs. Each organization is creating an endowment fund that will provide funding into perpetuity.

“I cannot understate the importance of building endowments for these cornerstone organizations,” said Phil Brown, Building Futures Together Campaign co-chair. “Giving to an endowment is an investment not only in the future of the YMCA and Boys and Girls Club, it is also an investment in the future of our community.”

The proposed facility will be a combination of renovated and newly constructed spaces encompassing approximately 93,000 square feet. It will house both organizations and provide synergies along with numerous opportunities with surrounding service providers. The project is on pace to begin construction late summer of 2018.

If you would like to learn more about the Building Futures Together Capital Campaign, visit https://app.southwoodymca.org/. To make a contribution, call 715-818-6017.