Sunrise Rotary Club’s Board has pledged a donation of $15,000 ($5000 per year over three years) to support construction of the new Landmark Promenade which will be built later this year to mark the heart of the Mequon-Thiensville Community. A number of individual Rotarians have indicated they would like more information about making personal donations to the M-T Community Promenade project as well.
Rotarians from Mequon & Thiensville Rotary Clubs have been actively working to make the Town Center and River Walk projects reality since 2002. As a capstone landmark for this area we have been active in the planning and now fundraising for the Mequon-Thiensville Community Promenade on the north east corner of Mequon and Cedarburg Roads.
First, prospective donors should know that both municipal governments – Village Board of Thiensville and Mequon City Council – have collaborated to get this new landmark designed through a Joint Gateway Committee appointed in August 2017. And, the Village and City have pledged as many tax dollars - $200,000 - as elected officials feel they can toward the total cost of the Promenade’s design and construction.
We know private fund raising is not an appropriate function of municipal governments; therefore, a number of private citizens, including Rotarians, are personally and collectively committed to raising $500,000 in private contributions to meet the total projected cost of $700,000. The City has indicated willingness to authorize a construction contract to build the Promenade as soon as 75% or $375,000 of the private funds needed are pledged or in the bank.
A Promenade Landmark Campaign Committee, composed totally of volunteers, has kicked off a quiet campaign to secure commitments for as many lead gifts as possible by the time Mequon City Council is asked to issue a construction contract. We hope the Council will be able to issue that contract in February for construction in Spring 2019.
The Campaign Committee is working independently without the services of a professional fund-raiser so that all funds raised will be used for construction, not fund raising.
Before asking others, Campaign Committee members pledged their own personal donations. Since then, we have secured lead gifts of $25,000 or more thus far, plus commitments at other levels, totaling private dollars raised to date of $344,000 toward our goal of $500,000 in private contributions.
Donations of $500 and up will be recognized on the donor wall within the Promenade. Pledges can be made to spread out a donation over three years. Tax deductible donations may be made and sent to the
T-M Rotary Foundation - Promenade
P. O. Box 712
Thiensville WI 53092
In the past, Rotarians have amazed us with their generosity to community projects as well as humanitarian causes, many pledging over three years. Our hope is to have donations from everyone in our Mequon-Thiensville Rotary Clubs …. no pressure on amounts, but hopefully, eager participation from all our members.