Door County, Wis. (June 28, 2022) – The Door County YMCA is excited to announce the final phase of its Heart of the Community Capital Campaign. This campaign, which started in the fall of 2019 was paused by spring of 2020, due to the pandemic. The campaign has been in a quiet phase since its re-launch in June 2021. Thanks to the generosity of early donors, the campaign has raised $8.9 million dollars.
“As we head into the final fundraising phase of this project, we are excited to share that we have received a $500,000 matching gift,” said Heidi Erickson, Door County YMCA CEO, “meaning we need to raise another $500,000 in our community to complete this $9.9 million dollar project.”
Since opening its doors in 1986, the Door County YMCA has listened to the community, offering the programs, and services individuals and families in the area need. The current Sturgeon Bay Program Center was established in 1997, followed by the addition of the Carla and Ellsworth Peterson Aquatics Center in 2001. Since that time there haven’t been any significant capital improvements outside of general maintenance.
Today, we are nearing historically high membership numbers. Current participation levels are stretching program spaces, limiting the organization’s ability to provide the innovative programs our community needs.
A renovation and expansion of the Sturgeon Bay facility will allow the YMCA to provide a welcoming, supportive environment where all community members can come together; increase accessibility for older adults and those with mobility challenges; create more gathering spaces for education, meetings, and community connections; deepen partnerships with other organizations; and ensure that the organization is meeting the community’s needs now and for future generations.
“The addition of a Youth Activity Center will be a highlight of this renovation and expansion”, said Tonya Felhofer, Mission Advancement Executive. “We will be able to bring some of our most important youth programs like camp and after-school care, back onto our campus, where these children will have access to our pool, our gyms, the park, and our new outdoor learning classroom.”
“This is an exciting time for the Door County Y,” said Tom Beerntsen, Capital Campaign Co-Chair, “but there’s still work to be done and we need the help of our community.”
The Sturgeon Bay Program center serves as the community hub, bringing neighbors together from all walks of life for more than 30 years. It is at the Y where friendships flourish, children are nurtured, and people grow stronger in spirit, mind, and body.
The Door County YMCA has contracted with The Boldt Company and will break ground in September 2022. To learn more about the Heart of the Community Capital Campaign and support it, contact Heidi Erickson, CEO or Tonya Felhofer, Mission Advancement Executive at 920.743.4949
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