Black Hills Energy Donates $20,000 To Community Building Project
By Gordon Hopkins
A project to rehab the Community Center, located in the Fairbury City Park, got a major boost on Friday, December 2, when Black Hills Energy donated $20,000. Laura Bedlan, Fairbury Planning and Zoning Administrator, noted this was the largest donation they had received to date.
The Fairbury Public Works Committee and city council met earlier this year to discuss ways to improve the building and increase use of the facility. The building was built in 1978 and is starting to show its age. Among the various repairs and upgrades the city would like to see done include:
• Lighting
• Flooring
• Windows
• Sidewalks
• Interior Painting
• The Transportation Drop-off site
• Gym improvements
• Senior Center Programming
The total cost of the project is estimated to be approximately $100,000. The city is looking at grants and other funding options. Donations are being sought from individuals and businesses to show their support and help fund the upgrades and repairs. Lana Likens, Public Relations Director for JCH&L, noted, “Some of the scope of the project will depend on grants and donations that come in.”
There are multiple donation levels that will receive recognition:
• $1-$999—name on website and in the chamber newsletter
• $1,000-44,999—name on website, in chamber newsletter and in newspaper
• $5,000 and up—name on website, in chamber newsletter, in newspaper and on plaque in the center.
Donations of any amount can be made to: Community Center Rehab Project c/o: Fairbury Civic Foundation, PO Box 554, 612 D St., Fairbury, NE 68352. At this time, the city is about $20,000 short of their goal.
