For over 30 years the Grünewald Guild has served as a creative and innovative example to the world of the transformative power of art and the sacred within the context of community. We are an ecumenical Christian community that embraces people of all journeys and traditions, serving as a sanctuary for their exploration of art, faith and the mystery of creation.
Dear Friends of the Guild,
We have been given a tremendous opportunity, one in which we are excited to invite you to take part. As the Guild reached its 30th year of operation in 2010, the staff and board realized there were several areas of the campus that required attention and/or upgrades. After meeting to discuss the needs of the campus we designed a Campus Renovation Project, which includes renewal of our water system, construction of a new entrance deck for our Centrum and an upgrade of our kitchen equipment. This project will impact the entire Guild community as it will help to ensure that the Guild can continue to be a well-equipped and sustainable business.
Water System Renewal: Installation of a Large Pressure Tank
Results of a water system study in 2009 recommended the installation of an 11,000-gallon pressure tank, which will provide consistent water pressure to the entire campus. This will eliminate the older water system currently in use and allow for the installation of fire sprinklers in the Fiber Arts Building (removing the need for 24-hour monitoring in that building).
New Entrance Deck for the Centrum
A door is currently under construction as a new entrance to the Guild's main building, the Centrum. A new deck with wide entrance stairs, a patio, and a paved and lighted parking lot are needed to complete the entrance renovation and provide a more inviting entrance to the Guild (see photos below of the existing entrance and model for the new entrance).
Kitchen Equipment Upgrade
The kitchen has very old commercial refrigerators that need replacing, as well as the additon of an ice machine and buffet sneeze guard. Commercial-grade appliances will allow the Guild to better serve our growing number of guests throughout the year.
Upon invitation from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, the Grünewald Guild has submitted a proposal for matching funds to offset the costs of the water system renewal and the new entrance deck for the Centrum. Grant applications are also pending for funding help from the Chisholm Foundation, the Icicle Fund and the Washington State Department of Health.
Included in our overall project budget is the goal to raise $40,000 through private donations. This spring, one of our members generously offered to match funds, dollar for dollar, in order to obtain that goal. So far we have raised over $27,000.
We appeal to you, our friends and family, to help us raise the rest. Your financial gift toward this project will potentially be matched twice: once by the commitment of our member, and again by the Murdock Trust. Talk about bang for your buck!
There are other ways to help as well. In our conversations with the Murdock Trust, we have been told that a significant portion of any matching money they potentially grant us can come in the form of volunteer services and donated or reduced-cost materials. In other words: if you cannot give financially, you may be able to help us reach our goal in other tangible ways. Please contact us if you have ways that you might be able to lend a hand.
With a donation of $250 or more--in cash, materials and/or labor for the project--you will be offered a brick in our new patio in which you can have inscribed a name or word (such as “gratitude” or “beauty”). Together, we will create a community mosaic that will bless guests for years to come.
Your support is an integral part of us being able to carry out this important project and will enable the Guild to continue providing a place of rest and creativity for years to come. Let me thank you in advance for your support and prayers for the future of the Guild.
With warmest regards,
Dan Oberg
Director
