Grace Jones Community Center has launched a major capital campaign to raise funds for the design and construction of a modern facility to serve the daycare needs of working families and at-risk children in the Marathon area.
The campaign, which hopes to raise $600,000 was given a boost by an opening pledge of $300,000 from Pritam Singh, a prominent local businessman.
Singh described the gift as an expression of his “family’s high regard and affection for children and the families served by the center. I am looking forward to working together with such a caring community as Marathon to make possible this wonderful new daycare facility.”
Robin Ringemann, Grace Jones’ board President, said his gift is in the form of a challenge grant and must be matched in an equal amount by smaller gifts from other donors.
The Grace Jones organization, which has been serving the Marathon community since 1956, has long outgrown its facility.
The building will continue to be used while the new construction is underway so the children are not displaced. The existing center will eventually be demolished to become a state-of-the-art playground.
Plans call for the new facility to be built on the center’s existing property at 230 41st St.
The goal with the new daycare building is to create a safe, more nurturing environment for up to 60 children ranging from newborn to 10 years of age. This will provide space for additional services such as Head Start, after school programs and the State-mandated Pre-kindergarten program scheduled to begin in August 2005.
Lynn Voit, chairman of capital campaign said: “Not until one actually becomes hands on with these little children can you really see how needy they are for emotional and physical nurturing. We teach our kids to be wary of strangers. These tots grab for any and all attention shown to them in their little corner of safety.
“After 50 years of service to the Marathon community, it’s time that our Grace Jones facility is replaced. We can make this happen with your involvement and support. Winter residents, we need you too,” she said.
The first gala fundraised event to benefit the new Grace Jones Center will be poolside under the stars at Tranquility Bay. The event, which costs $75 per person and is tax deductible, will be from 5:30 to 8:30 pm. Food will be by Great Events, Caribbean rhythms by Bede and an auction of fine art are scheduled.
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MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE
For more information on the gala event call Voit at 743-7664 or Ringemann at 743-3516.
All donations will go toward funding the construction of the new Grace Jones Community Center.
For more information on Grace Jones Community Center call 743-6064 or write Grace Jones Community Center, P.O. Box 1376, Marathon, FL 33050.
FREE PRESS March 2-8, 2005
