First update at the Sealady.org blog since just before the September 11th statue unveiling — they say they’re halfway to the $ they need for a plaza around the statue, and their new fundraising drive is “buy (plaza) bricks for the holidays.” This Alki Statue of Liberty mini-update gives us an excuse to reuse this photo Mark Bourne shared late last month, just ’cause we liked it so much:
The more I think about the plaza idea, the more I dislike it. It just wouldn’t be right for the neighborhood, and I still haven’t been able to understand what the point is, other than blind patriotism.
You mean we too can have those gaudy vanity bricks like they have at sports stadiums? “You can even have your logo inscribed on your brick”!
Er….fine. No plaza, no bricks. Do all of the people who already ‘bought’ bricks get their money back?
“halfway to the $ they need for a plaza around the statue”
Pretty vague.
And how much is that exactly?
Is ‘the plaza’ just the bricks?
Or is it bricks, benches, plantings? Pedestal?
So, you’ve raised $___ towards the cost of the $____ plaza.
Are there any plans for more precise fundraising reports to the community-at-large? Perhaps through the Alki Community Council? Your website? The Alki Beacon?
Thanks.
If anyone is interested in checking on the status of a brick previously purchased for the plaza under Northwest Program for the Arts, this might be of interest. This could include a good number of people as NPA sold between 350 and 400 bricks over the years they were involved with the statue and plaza project.
1. If you go to the new group’s (Seattle Statue of Liberty Plaza Project) website, http://www.sealady.org, and click on “Brick Donors” at the top of the home page you will find a link to relevant information on the left side about half way down that page labeled “IMPORTANT”. Click on the “click here” link. Information regarding contacting the fiscal sponsor of NPA, Allied Arts, is provided .
2. My wife and I purchased 2 bricks through NPA in 2005. I recently emailed Pam Kliment at the Seattle Parks Department with a number of questions. She referred me to Allied Arts at 206-323-4721. The individual I spoke with at that number provided me with the number for Holly Santos at 206-351-1233, who works evenings for NPA. She responded to the voice message I left promptly the next day. Holly informed me that the money to purchase the bricks has been set aside and a database is maintained with donation and inscription information. My last question to her was could I get a refund if for some reason the plaza was never built. She assured me that “some type of plaza” would be built as there is the brick money and money from the city available. The final design and extent of the plaza would be dependent on how much money the new group is able to raise.
David Hutchinson
Thanks for the info, David.
I understand Allied Arts has put around $10,000 in a CD for the previously sold bricks. The ‘brick money’ that Holly Santos was referring to is this $10,000. This will be released when the contract is let for construction. Money from the city she referred to is probably Mayor Nickels’ $50,000 budget request (which is now in City Council for approval).
I’m very confused by the claim “halfway to the $ they need for a plaza around the statueâ€Â.
Anybody?
Jo –
From the sealady.org site:
The Project Committee is now planning specific fundraising activities to complete raising the estimated $135,000 to $150,000 necessary to finish the project.
So half would be approx. $67,500 to $75,000.
50,000 from city
10,000 prior brick sales
??? current fundraising efforts
I guess if you want a total accounting you could just email the Carrs.
Erik –
I have emailed the Carrs and am waiting for reply.
I’m finding that alot of people are hoping we learned a lesson from our experience with the non-reporting of NPA, and are expressing a need for more public disclosure this time – precise fundraising reports to the community-at-large on a timely basis.
Either from the Plaza committee or Urban Sparks (the 501c3). Perhaps through the Alki Community Council meetings or the council itself? Plaza committee website? The Alki Beacon? The Mayor’s Office?
Sorry, I accidently cut off the rest of my outline for fundraising activities. This is important, b/c we’d like your help in the near future.
The 3 pieces we been busy designing but are now having printed are:
1. A new Brick brochure mailer, designed with an envelope (also the order form) to be torn off the mailer part of the 5 panel color brochure and mailed to Urban Sparks with their brick order or other donation. We have ordered 10,000 pieces.
2. A stand up Point-of-Purchase display unit holding the brick brochures in a plastic pocket. We have called some merchants and restaurants who are interested in putting this unit on their counter (it’s surface is 9″ x 12″ and stands up). We have ordered 50 units.
3. Check folder inserts: We are starting off with 5,000 2-sided color (nice paper)inserts that will be in the folder when the check is brought to the table at the end of the meal. We have met with one major restaurant owner (Cactus) who has said Yes to this program and have spoken with at least 8 others who have expressed interest and want to see the piece. We are hoping this campaign will be very successful as well.
4. We are working on the plans for a ticketed Holiday event probably Dec. 26th or 27th at Duke’s (2nd floor area) with local celebs, etc. This will be to have a final push for selling benches, encouraging major donors, selling off the remaining spots for plaques of our new category next to the landscaped areas ($2000 – $5000) and to also raffle off the Phil Jones original watercolor of the wonderful logo design he did on all our stuff (i.e. see http://www.sealady.org). The details on this idea are still pending.
What do we Need? Your help is needed, Now. Please call us to be put on our volunteer list to help with distributing these materials, or to help with other needs as they come up. The main thing is to THANK THE RESTAURANTS AND MERCHANTS PARTICIPATING AND TO PATRONIZE THESE BUSINESSES AND TO BUY YOUR BRICK. Christmas is coming, and this effort is the perfect Holiday Gift idea. Those restaurants and businesses participating in this effort will be receiving some free publicity as a way to thank them in the West Seattle Herald. Please encourage any merchants or restaurant owners to contact us so they can be a “Statue Good Guy.” And – please contact any group you belong to (church, civic, sport team, etc.) and consider going into together on a bench or other donation, no matter what size. Your group will be remembered with it’s inscription.
Thanks in advance for remembering that Now is the time to contact us to buy a bench ($5000), plaque for a landscaped area ($2000-$5000)or become a major donor ($15,000) as well as for personal, corporate or “group” brick donations. Again, please see http://www.sealady.org.
Finally, we are starting to get in Corporate matching funds, so please see the list of companies who will match the employee’s donation on our website. One person from Microsoft sent in $1000 which turned into $2000 with confirmation by our fiscal sponsor to the company. So that was terrific!! Please encourage people to find out about this at their work.
Lastly, (I promise) several different grandmother types, called us up and wanted (11 in one case and 16 in another) bricks that are being given in the name of the child or grandchild to the Statue project. One of them said they started making donations in the kid’s names a few years ago as their birthday present, in a effort to teach them the importance and joy of giving. What a wonderful idea!
So, thanks for all you support on the WSB (and other comments as well, they have been interesting, sometimes) and we look forward to having your participation in helping to bring the new plaza and pedestal into reality (finally) for our beautifully recast “Little Sister of Liberty.” Libby & Paul Carr, Co-Chairs, SSLPP
I can see from the above response, the first part of my response was sent to Cyberspace, so I want to repeat that here since it’s a summary of the fundraising done to date: (By the way, I set up a meeting last Sunday to meet with Jo and give her the following information, but she was unable to keep the appt at the last minute).
As of Oct. 17, we had raised $3390. By the end of Oct. 31, we have pledges for another $5600 for a total of about $9000. We then have the $50,000 committed by the City in the 2008 budget, and we have applied for 2 other grants from major funding sources that we expect to be between $15,000 to $30,000 between the two. In addition, there is the $10,500 CD from NPA being delivered at construction time, for a total of $99,500 providing the 2 pending grants come thru at $30K. So, these are the figures for estimating we are about halfway there, based on the $157,000 construction cost estimate of the design team in Sept. We need to raise more, of course, to pay for our fiscal sponsor’s services and reporting (7% fee) and for printing & other supply costs. As the co-chairs along with the rest of the committee and a few other very committed and dedicated volunteers, we have donated hours (and hours and hours) of time to this project. We believe it will be worth it in the long run with this beautiful new home for our statue. Thanks for your support and help.
If you have any questions and can volunteer, please call me (or email thru website) at 206-938-8720. Thanks – Libby Carr
(By the way, I set up a meeting last Sunday to meet with Jo and give her the following information, but she was unable to keep the appt at the last minute).
Libby, as you know, I cancelled because I had to help my 95-year-old neighbor. We’re rescheduling a meeting for this weekend sometime.
Thanks for the financial accounting to the community.
long shot from raising $3390 to being “halfway there.” ????? I wouldn’t count the $50,000 as money raised. Money that comes from the city has city requirements attached, cannot be considered a “donation.”
Libby posted: “selling off the remaining spots for plaques of our new category next to the landscaped areas ($2000 – $5000)”
What ‘new category’? Has this been added onto the final architect’s design? By whom?
I, and many others, don’t want the ‘new plaza.’ Everyone agrees that sold bricks should be installed. No question on that. Maybe some benches with backs. But, it seems that the whole thing is becoming a plaza of vanity plaques as Jeff commented on above. Tacky! I’ve been assured that the present pedestal can be spruced up and bricks installed in an attractive, simple design.
I know, to make money you often have to spend money, but how much is all this full color printing and Post-of-Sale pieces costing, anyway? The $157,000 budget presented by the architects isn’t even in the ballpark of funds that are needed anymore.
“final architect’s design” ?????
Oops, before the grammer-police slap my hands, I really meant “architect’s final design.”
Sorry, comment time is over.
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