ONTARIO—The Treasure Valley Community College Foundation will kick off its public fundraising campaign next week to raise money to build the Nursing and Allied Health Professions Center to house the school’s nursing program.
The event is scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 4, in the Tech-Lab building on the college campus in Ontario. Cathy Yasuda, executive director of the TVCC Foundation, said the event, free and open to the public, will feature complimentary appetizers, raffle giveaways, tours of the current nursing program facility and yet-to-be-announced speakers.
So far, the college is inching closer to the $10 million mark of the $11.4 million needed for the project, which is slated to begin construction early next year, according to Yasuda.
In December, the college received word that it would get $3 million in federal funding. The college also received $5 million from the state that had to be matched by Feb. 1. In January, the TVCC Board of Education voted to borrow $4.95 million from the Bank of Eastern Oregon should the college not raise other matching funds. The loan, which is at 8% interest, will only be used as a last resort so construction can get underway.
While the college is close to the $10 million mark, the foundation is focused on bringing well over that amount for the project, given that the final costs are not set in stone.
Yasuda said that construction costs have gone up considerably since the new nursing building was initially designed.
The foundation is looking to fundraise through fall and will take donations right up until the developers break ground early next year.
Yasuda said those interested in making donations online can do so on the TVCC Foundation webpage.
“As much as we can raise is what is going to be the budget for the building,” Yasuda said. “We hope to have a good turnout and it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
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