Fine arts center campaign halfway to goal

Present when the Bourbon County Arts Council presented a $2,500 check to the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center Wall of Honor Campaign were: (from left) Community Wall of Honor campaign committee Co-chairman Dick Hedges, committee member Jerry Witt, Bourbon County Arts Council board member Belinda Thompson, FSCC Gordon Parks Center for Culture and Diversity Executive Director Jill Warford, BCAC Treasurer Dale Johnson, BCAC board members Mike Morris and Marge Carson, and FSCC Business Development Director Daryl Roller. FSCC photo

As the campaign for the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center Community Wall of Honor campaign rolls on, the community committee that is working to raise money for the fine arts center met last week to discuss recent accomplishments, a Fort Scott Community College statement said.

The Community Campaign is more than halfway toward its fundraising goal, having raised about $5 million of the center's $7 million price tag to date and has seen tremendous support from the community. During the third meeting of the committee's campaign, members shared the warm responses and generous donations they have been given by individuals and businesses in the community, the statement said.

The $7 million, 33,000-square-foot fine arts center, which is slated to begin construction this fall on the FSCC campus, will contain several theatre, music, and art classrooms, as well as the 3,000-square-foot Gordon Parks Center for Culture and Diversity. The center will also feature a 600-seat auditorium, and other gallery and exhibit space.

During the committee meeting, a presentation was given by FSCC student Sarah Karleskint, who is involved in theatre at FSCC. Karleskint shared her own experiences with the current theatre facilities and thanked the committee members for working so hard to make the building a reality. 

"The new facility will not only allow more people to attend plays but will also raise the level of productions with a better technical and back stage area," Karleskint said.

After Karleskint spoke, a special presentation was made by the Bourbon County Arts Council. A check for $2,500 was given to the community campaign by BCAC treasurer Dale Johnson, who was accompanied by board members Mike Morris, Belinda Thompson and Marge Carson. 

"This will be a wonderful facility for the community and will allow the college and the Arts Council and other entities to have the proper space to present arts activities," Johnson said. "The facility will bring wonderful creative opportunities to the community and we plan to take advantage of this new space." 

After the presentations, community campaign members discussed their progress and planned strategy to finish their part of the overall campaign. Campaign co-chairman Dick Hedges commended them for their progress.

As the community campaign draws to an end, those who are interested in being a part of the Community Wall of Honor can do so by contacting FSCC Business Development Director Daryl Roller at (620) 223-2700, extension 503, or by e-mail at darylr@fortscott.edu.

Certain project costs have been supported by the Kansas Department of Commerce, and the Kansas Community Service Program, the FSCC statement said.