Chamber Foundation fund drive kickoff raises nearly $28,000
Three donors presented the first checks in the $1 million “Building a Better Future” drive for the new Anderson County Chamber of Commerce building at the Chamber Networking Coffee hosted by the Anderson County Chamber Foundation, Inc., in April.
The three donations totaled $22,500 to kick off fundraising for the new 8,700-square-foot building that will provide new headquarters for the Anderson County Chamber, along with state-of-the-art training and meeting space for members and for the community. Another $5,142 donated at the coffee brought the kickoff total to $27,642.
The first three donors are:
• Consolidated Nuclear Security Y-12 National Security Complex, presenting a check for $10,000.
• The Y-12 Federal Credit Union, presenting a check for $10,000.
• Gary Cooper of Gary Cooper Insurance, presenting a check for $2,500.
The Anderson County Chamber Foundation, formed last December, is leading the fund drive. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Foundation provides the opportunity to support the new facility with contributions that are tax-deductible.
“The Chamber Foundation appreciates the gifts from these first donors to our new building campaign,” said Rick Meredith, Anderson County Chamber of Commerce president. “We are thankful for the support from all who kicked off the campaign with their contributions and pledges. And we’re grateful for the trust our donors have that we will meet our goal.”
Besides the $27,642 donated at the coffee, Clinton City Council gave a one-time appropriation of $25,000 for the chamber building in late April. The Chamber Foundation has pledges of $500,000 and a commitment of $1 million from an anonymous donor for the new building, estimated to cost $2.6 million, Meredith announced at the coffee. The $1 million fund drive and events in the summer and fall are expected to raise the remaining funds needed for the building.
“We have an opportunity to put our chamber in a new home,” Trey McAdams, the Chamber Foundation chairman who is a State Farm Insurance agent in Clinton, said at the coffee. “It is not just a new office for the chamber. For our partners, for an industry, small business, community organization, or individual, this building can be a meeting place for you moving forward.”
During the coffee, Meredith unveiled plans for the one-story brick building to be built at the corner of North Main and North Hicks streets. The Chamber Foundation will seek bids for construction in May, with construction expected to begin early in the summer. The building is expected to be completed in about 12 to 14 months after that.
“This building is for the community,” Meredith said.
Community partners, including Historic Downtown Clinton, Anderson County Tourism, Anderson County Economic Development Association, the Industrial Development Board and others, will be able to use the large, multipurpose room in the new building.
The diversified room will have up-to-date technology for training and videoconferencing, as well as a catering kitchen for events.
MBI Companies, Inc., an architectural, engineering and interiors firm with offices in Knoxville and Chattanooga, designed the building and serves as project manager.
To learn more about the Anderson County Chamber Foundation, the new building and the fund drive, visit the foundation’s website at acccfoundation.org.
The Chamber Foundation welcomes contributions from chamber members as well as the community at large to support the new multi-purpose building.