ARLINGTON – It took longer than anyone imagined – years more, actually – but a grass-roots group has finished raising its share toward a $6.5 million Arlington Performing Arts Center.
Some of the volunteers dreamed of seeing their sons and daughters on stage at an Arlington High School venue, but their children grew up and graduated before it could open.
That didn’t stop them from continuing to raise money toward their $2.5 million goal.
The project was a mix of small-town fundraisers and major donations, including a recent $50,000 gift from Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s foundation.
It was a $100,000 donation from Arlington residents Brent and Connie McKinley that started the fundraising effort more than five years ago and another $100,000 from the couple earlier this month that pushed the campaign over the top. In between, the McKinleys contributed an additional $100,000.
The community outpouring during the final campaign stretch was remarkable, said Anita McKinley, a sister-in-law of Brent. She was part of the Arts Alive volunteer group.
“Every time I went to the mailbox, there were four or five checks,” she said.
The timing of the first donation was critical, said Linda Byrnes, the school district’s superintendent.
“It gave us credibility, that it was believed in,” Byrnes said.
The 700-seat arts center, which has been built in phases, is scheduled to open May 31. Although located at the high school, it is intended for community use and has received money from the city of Arlington.
“The seats are being installed as we speak,” said Warren Hopkins, the district’s assistant superintendent.
Funding for the center was on the 2000 ballot. It failed even though voters approved a $54 million bond measure that included the new high school.
The performing arts center was separated from the main bond measure to give voters more choices on how to spend their tax dollars, and it fell short of the required 60 percent supermajority.
School leaders and volunteers vowed to raise the money without going back to the ballot.
For the school district, that has meant tapping into money streams that aren’t part of the day-to-day operations budget. Four years ago, the school pledged $2 million toward the center from timber sales on land it owns.
Last year, it came up with another $300,000 toward the last phase of the project by selling surplus land it no longer uses near Presidents Elementary School.
Volunteers might have reached their goal, but they won’t become strangers.
Cindy Huleatt, who has been part of the Arts Alive campaign from the beginning, said it is a relief to be done, but now much of the group’s energy is geared toward planning opening night.
“There will be some real emotions that night,” Huleatt said.
The same volunteers have been meeting nearly every Wednesday morning for more than five years.
“We might just have to get together for coffee (on Wednesdays) but without any pressure,” Huleatt said. “We have formed a bond.”
Reporter Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446 or stevick@heraldnet.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
