After eight weeks of campaigning, the Center of Anna Maria Island has added more than $80,000 to its coffers, but the tallying continues.
In November, the center announced receipt of an anonymous $50,000 donation to fund operations and issued a challenge to match the donation.
Through phone calls, letters, emails, Facebook posts and advertisements in The Islander, the center has campaigned for donations to meet the challenge, executive director Kristen Lessig said.
By Dec. 30, the fundraiser had fallen short of its goal of raising the additional $50,000.
Lessig reported Dec. 30 that she was checking emails and the post office box and there were a “few pending commitments.” The total donation reported by Lessig to date was a “little over $41,000.”
The center staff, however, was off for the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, and so there may have been some missed communications.
Since the 2016-17 fiscal year began July 1, the center has struggled to meet its budgeted revenues.
Board treasurer Jim Froeschle, at a Nov. 21 board meeting, blamed sagging membership numbers for the shortfall.
A December board meeting was replaced with a board social and financial reports for November and December were not be released. The reports are being held for a community meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 23, Lessig said.
The meeting will be at the center, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria.
– Bianca Benedí