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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Contact: Beth Giese - (573) 874-7465

ARC Fund-Raising Project/Scholarship Fund receives donations

COLUMBIA, MO (December 27, 2004) -- The Columbia Parks & Recreation
Department has recently completed the fund raising effort for the
Activity & Recreation Center (ARC). In November 1999, Columbia voters
approved a $10.5 million ballot issue for the design and construction of
a community recreation center. The original proposal approved by the
voters was a 61,000 square-foot facility.

During the campaign, the Mayor's Committee for a Community Recreation
Center indicated its willingness to pursue additional funding to enhance
the center. A small group actively pursued this effort. The group
consisted of: Karen Taylor (Chair), Greg Steinhoff and Naomi Cupp
(Co-Chairs of the Mayor's Committee for a Community Recreation
Center), Bill Watkins, Gary Ristow, Mike Hood and Mayor Darwin Hindman.
The fund raising group received a lead donor gift of $100,000 from Boone
County National Bank. A total of $581,000 in funds was raised to enhance
the center. The enhancements include: a second basketball court, a third
meeting room (which serves as the youth tutoring room), a youth fitness
center and an elevated, glass-enclosed walking/jogging track. The
improvements increased the final size of the ARC to 73,000 square feet
from the original 61,000 square feet. The Cosmo Club presented its final
installment of $31,250 to the city at the Nov. 22 meeting. 

The city received the following contributions towards the ARC:
Columbia Daily Tribune - $1,000
Missouri Employers Mutual Insurance - $15,000
Commerce Bank/William Kemper Foundation - $25,000
Boone Hospital Center/BJC HealthCare - $25,000
Boone Hospital Center/ Board of Trustees - $25,000
Boone County National Bank - $100,000
University YMCA - $125,000
Columbia Cosmopolitan Club - $125,000
Columbia Orthopaedic Group - $140,000

In addition to this, the Verizon Foundation also donated $50,000
towards the computer lab in the ARC bringing the total to $631,000.

The Cosmo Club also presented the Parks & Recreation Department with a
check for $7,400 for Youth Enrichment Scholarships (YES). The donation
is intended to assist youth who need financial assistance to use the
ARC. The money is from the Cosmo Club Day in the Park held on Sept. 25.
The effort was led by Jerry Sigmund from the Cosmo Club. This augments
the $35,000 City Council allocates for youth scholarships. The
scholarship fund is also supported by the city's Share the Light
program, a utility checkoff program.

The Youth Enrichment Scholarship program makes financial assistance
available to residents, ages 3-17, who meet income/household size
criteria established by the USDA's free-reduced lunch program.
Financial assistance amounts are available in the amounts of either 50
percent or 75 percent, depending upon the household. The remaining
amount is expected in terms of a co-payment. The primary focus in on
youth, although family memberships to the ARC are available if there are
eligible youth in the household.

Call 874-7460 for more information.

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