on Buying the Grand Hotel: an Editorial

TO: Editor
Sheboygan Press
632 Center Ave
Sheboygan, WI 53081

RE: Buying the Grand Hotel

Dear Editor,

The Sheboygan Press recently printed a letter from a concerned citizen regarding The Salvation Army’s campaign to expand its present facilities. It is wonderful to hear from the community and The Salvation Army appreciates the community support it has always depended upon.

Buying the Grand Hotel/Howard Johnson property is not a new idea. The Salvation Army has looked at the building every time it has come up for sale, including the most recent real estate listing of over $2 million. We have taken tours, spoken with owners, had discussions with city officials and board members and calculated budgets. We have always concluded that it is not the best plan to acquire that particular piece of property.

There are several reasons for this decision. First, the cost is prohibitive. The Salvation Army conducted a financial feasibility study for a possible $6 million campaign. The consensus was that The Salvation Army could raise $3.5 million. With an upfront purchase cost of over $2 million there would be approximately $1.2 million that could be put into direct renovation.

All programs would need to move to the new building. Renovations would not only need to accommodate the shelter and medical clinic – the main components of our present new building, but also the Saturday feeding program, food pantry, youth program, all offices, chapel and classrooms.

Secondly, The Salvation Army would not be able to afford the annual operating costs associated with a building the size of the Grand Hotel/Howard Johnson property. Comparing existing operating expenses with the calculated future expenses in our present expansion project, The Salvation Army feels it can do what it needs to do while maintaining minimal addition to operating expenses.

A third reason is what to do with The Salvation Army’s existing property? It would need to be sold, but could that be done in the present economy? We believe that it is too risky at this time. We also need to consider the ramifications of removing a very viable property from the Sheboygan tax base.

I want to assure the community that The Salvation Army has many checks and balances that assist us in thinking projects like this through. Much thought and discussion has gone into the present plan to buy the US Bank parking lot, build a new shelter and renovate the existing structure.

The Salvation Army appreciates any ideas that help improve what we do and encourages the citizens of Sheboygan County to call, write or e-mail us so that we may have a meaningful dialog for the community’s future. Please join us in the “Agents of Hope-Building Compassion” Salvation Army’s Capital Campaign. The Salvation Army needs all of Sheboygan County’s support to make this a truly worthwhile project a reality.

Sincerely,


Alan Hellstrom
Major
The Salvation Army - Sheboygan

The Capital Campaign Kick-off

The vision of the Sheboygan Area Salvation Army is to join with the community, as agents of hope, to enhance comprehensive, Christ-centered services that promote self-sufficiency.

News Release - Announcing the Capital Campaign Community Kick-Off

NEWS RELEASE
710 Pennsylvania Ave.
Sheboygan, WI 53081
920.458.3723
http://www.sasheboygan.org/

THE SALVATION ARMY:

Sheboygan, Wis., - The summer heated-up with the public phase of The Salvation Army’s Capital Campaign. The fundraiser was kicked off with a grill-out to raise awareness for the renovation and expansion of the building at 710 Pennsylvania Avenue. Major donors, corporations and area businesses were invited to the presentation, lunch and tour.

Sheboygan business leaders Richard Bemis, Barbara Knauf, and Janice Homiston are leaders of the Capital Campaign, “Agents of Hope…Building Compassion.”

Richard Bemis said that the expansion of the facility underscores the continued and growing commitment of The Salvation Army to meet the growing needs of the Sheboygan community.

The $3.5 million project will include relocating and expanding of the food pantry, the free health clinic and adding on to the overcrowded homeless shelter. The expansion will cover 16,500 square feet on the east side of the present building.

Major Kim Hellstrom, Co-Commanding Officer of the Salvation Army in Sheboygan, stressed the urgency of the construction project due to dramatic increases in demands for basic human services within the region.

The Army reported over $950,000 in gifts and commitments to date. Today’s announcement marks the beginning of the community phase of this campaign. It will give the people of Sheboygan and the surrounding region an opportunity to support this wonderful community asset, said Major Hellstrom. She expressed her appreciation for the early leadership commitments from corporations and many individual area philanthropists.

“There are so many people hurting and in need and not a lot of kindness in this world but The Salvation Army is one of those agencies that has compassion. We need this new facility to reach out to more people,” said Major Hellstrom.


The Salvation Army will continue their capital campaign until the $3.5 goal is reached. More information about The Salvation Army can be found at http://www.sasheboygan.org/, and contributions can be mailed to The Salvation Army, PO Box 1207, Sheboygan, Wisconsin 53082-1207.

I Walk for Hunger

June 20th is our First Annual

I Walk for Hunger

IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO PARTICIPATE!

The Good Stock planners have allowed us to set up the walk at St. Paul Lutheran just before their Good Stock event.

9 a.m. registration, 10 a.m. is the 3 mile walk around and through Sheboygan Falls.

$10 a person to walk, $30 for a family of 4, free if you collect $100 in sponsors.

Register on-line and E-mail the form in.

This is a fantastic opportunity to help out a great cause!

Below are the registration and sponsor forms. See you there!

and/or

Sponsor us: Your church or church group could sponsor our walk for $50. Your logo with your business, organization, or church name will go on the back of the T-shirt and posted on our website. Questions? Drop us an E-mail.

Thanks for all your support!

Letter to the Editor

If you’re into gardening this can be the most exciting time of the year, plotting out your garden, searching for seed and flowers and just the right pot for your porch.

As you’re sowing your garden, why not think about planting an extra row or two for the people in your community who are short on cash and need to visit the food pantries.

Local food pantries in the area welcome fresh vegetables and fruits and the people who receive the produce appreciate it even more.

Let’s kick off the gardening season this year by planting extra for your fellow community members who need a helping hand.

THE SALVATION ARMY CALLS ON FACEBOOK FRIENDS FOR VOTES: Vote The Salvation Army

Target Selects The Salvation Army As One of Ten Charities to Receive a Portion of $3 Million.

Alexandria, VA (May 11, 2009) – As part of the first day of National Salvation Army Week, The Salvation Army announced its participation in Bullseye Gives (www.Facebook.com/Target), the first-ever Target Facebook giving campaign. From May 10 through May 25, The Salvation Army’s Facebook friends, fans, constituents, donors and supporters can vote for the organization to win a portion of a $3 million charitable donation. The more votes, the larger the donation.

“The Salvation Army is excited and grateful to be part of Target’s groundbreaking fundraising idea through Facebook,” said Major George Hood, national community relations secretary for The Salvation Army. “It gives us another great way to engage our donors, friends and partners in a meaningful way during National Salvation Army Week 2009 for the betterment of those we serve.”

Much of The Salvation Army and Target’s nearly four-year partnership focuses on education for those in need, particularly at-risk youth. In November of 2008, Target donated $1 million to The Salvation Army to build or revamp a library, media center or other educational Salvation Army facility in one of each of the forty geographic Army Divisions in the United States. This gift could not have come at a better time. The centers are currently under construction and are scheduled to be completed by the end of this year. Many of the centers will provide updated educational outlets and after-school care for kids in the community as well as job training, resume assistance and other much-needed educational resources for adults impacted by the current economic circumstances. Depending on the amount allotted to the Army, the funds raised through Bullseye Gives will go to either further enhance current library projects from the initial grant or to build additional centers in new locations across the United States.

Based on the percentage of votes received by each charity, that percentage will determine a charities’ portion of the $3 million donation. All votes and dollars allocated will be updated in real time on the Target Facebook page throughout the course of the contest. Site visitors can vote once per day, every day, throughout the entirety of the contest. The final donation allocations per charity will be announced on May 26.

“At Target, our reputation is built on our legacy of service, and Bullseye Gives is an incredible opportunity for us to continue to engage the public in our giving,” said Laysha Ward, president of community relations, Target. “This is a unique way to help raise awareness of the important work these deserving charities do and increase local volunteerism nationwide.”

The selected charities fall within the Target’s core areas of giving, as well as causes that are of specific interest to its guests. The other nine charities participating include the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Feeding America, HandsOn Network/Points of Light Institute, Kids In Need, Parent Teacher Association, National Park Foundation, Operation Gratitude, Red Cross, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®.

About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for 128 years in the United States. Nearly 29 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. About 83 cents of every dollar raised is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.

About Target
Minneapolis-based Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) serves guests at 1,699 stores in 49 states nationwide and at Target.com. Target is committed to providing a fun and convenient shopping experience with access to unique and highly differentiated products at affordable prices. Since 1946, the corporation has given 5 percent of its income through community grants and programs like Take Charge of Education. Today, that giving equals more than $3 million a week.

ANNOUNCEMENT: More Money to the Needy in Wisconsin

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) has provided an additional $100 million to the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program (EFSP). This funding is above and beyond the funds already awarded under Phase 27 (FY 2009) and is intended to address the great increases in unemployment and community needs that we are seeing in our communities.

The Wisconsin EFSP State Set-Aside (SSA) Committee will receive $848,991 of that $100 million to supplement and extend emergency food and shelter programs. The county will receive $34,180. The local FEMA Board will receive this one-time ARRA award. The money given will be based on the county’s unemployment and poverty rates.

On May 28th , 10 a.m. at the Park Plaza Community Room, 909 Ontario, Sheboygan, the local FEMA Board will meet to discuss the disbursement to Sheboygan County social service agencies. The meeting is open to the public. Not for profit agencies interested in providing assistance to people in need are encouraged to attend the FEMA meeting.