New Winter 2008 Newsletter:Newsletter.qxd - Roaring Fork ...

Million Dollar River Center Matching Grant Offered
by Carlyle Kyzer
Recently, Roaring Fork
Club Partners David
Wilhelm, Jim Light, and
Jim Chaffin pumped up
the volume considerably
of the River Center
“quiet campaign” with
their announcement of a
one million dollar
leadership grant.
Offering to match
qualifying River Center
gifts dollar-for-dollar,
their announcement
came at the 2008 River
Rendezvous. Fully
David Wilhelm and Jim Light
(above), and Jim Chaffin (right),
offering their challenge match at
this year’s River Rendezvous. Scot
Gerdes
matched, their
leadership gift will provide two million
dollars and bring the River Center
Campaign above its half-way mark.
“Our intention is to inspire other
major donors to contribute $5,000 or more
to build and endow the Roaring Fork
Conservancy’s River Center,” said Jim
Light. River Center gifts may be pledged
over one to five years. The one million
dollar match boosts the River Center
Campaign into a greatly-advantaged
position for seeking foundation and other
major donor support.
In addition to the significance of the
gift itself, Wilhelm, Light, and Chaffin
have requested that the opportunity to
An artist’s rendering of the completed River Center. Charles Manus
name the
building go to
another lead
donor rather
than to
themselves.
This leaves open the top River Center
naming opportunity.
Wilhelm, Chaffin and Light’s gift will
go a long way toward giving Roaring Fork
Conservancy programs a permanent home.
We are very grateful to receive this
generous gift. For information about the
River Center Campaign, please contact
Carlyle Kyzer at 970-927-1290 or
carlyle@roaringfork.org.
River Center
Vision Takes
Shape
Envision a place where you
bring your children or
grandchildren to laugh and
play while learning about
rivers. Imagine largerthan-life-size
trout and
mayfly sculptures that
illustrate aquatic web of
life concepts in a fun
experiential manner.
Imagine a “sense of place”
interactive mapping station
that helps a visitor
understand his or her place
in a watershed. Imagine a
watershed institute where
leading river researchers
and river advocates can
come together to discuss
emerging western water
issues. Imagine a place
where people come away
invigorated about
protecting their rivers and
streams.
This place will be the
Roaring Fork Conservancy
River Center. Operating
out of various rented spaces
for more than eleven years,
Roaring Fork Conservancy
programs need a permanent
home. To truly fulfill our
mission, the River Center
will provide much-needed
classroom and laboratory
spaces, along with exciting
exhibits. The River Center
as the base of Roaring Fork
Conservancy programs
ensures the legacy of
Roaring Fork Conservancy
and a future of river
protection.
9RIVER CENTER