By Michelle Goetsch | Incourage Communications Team
Hello Tribune Supporter!
It’s been just three months since you were a part in earning the Tribune a permanent spot on the GlobalGiving crowdfunding site. So many great things have happened at the Tribune since that time!
And in fact, the building has been buzzing with action all summer long. Beginning in May, the Incourage team set out to implement Tribune Teasers. The teasers are events that mimic activities that will take place in and around the Tribune when renovations are complete. The teasers also showcase the types of partnerships and strong regional assets that the Tribune can bring together to accelerate growth in local workforce development, entrepreneurship and innovation.
As one of the seven teaser events, Incourage partnered with Mid-State Technical College (MSTC) and the Wood County Health Dept. (WCHD) for a local food chef demonstration at the Downtown Wisconsin Rapids Mall Farmers Market. Local residents were able to watch MSTC’s new hospitality program chef use local produce from the farmers market to prepare a delicious, healthy meal.
Maybe the most visible of the events took place in the form of a grand reveal in early August when 11 local artists shared their original back-lit painted designs highlighting local assets on the windows of the Tribune Building’s circular portion. Each Friday through the end of October, the building’s lights are turned on from dusk to dawn to let the artwork shine forth through the night.
In October, Incourage will host an entrepreneurial event in partnership with Invest in Wisconsin, Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative (WWBIC) and local economic development and entrepreneurial support organizations such as Heart of Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce and MSTC. The event is intended for individuals who are interested in starting, strengthening or expanding businesses, as well as additional stakeholders that want to grow the local entrepreneurial ecosystem.
What’s next?
Incourage continues to seek to raise $15M for Tribune renovations. It has always been Incourage’s goal to raise $1M for the Tribune from the local community, and contributions through GlobalGiving are a way to realize that goal. That goal was established with intentionality to ensure engagement of residents of all walks of life who provide gifts of all sizes. A true grassroots effort. The success realized in just the first three months of the campaign demonstrates to local and state leaders the wide-reaching and diverse local support for the downtown renovation project.
We are excited to have you on board as a Tribune supporter! Together, we can build a resilient economic future for our community – a future where equity and opportunity exists for all.
Kristopher Gasch Kelly Ryan
Incourage Board Chair Incourage CEO
Links:
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
Support this important cause by creating a personalized fundraising page.
Start a Fundraiser
