FISH CREEK, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — An outdoor Door County theater says it has surprisingly reached its campaign goal within eight weeks.
Northern Sky Theater set a $500,000 goal for its ‘Burn the Mortgage – Build the Bridge’ campaign to retire the balance of its construction loan debt and start a self-managed endowment that will help ensure the company’s long-term sustainability.
Through the generosity of 200 supporters and anonymous matched donations, the company officially reached its goal on Sept. 23.
“I have to admit, it felt a bit daunting to add what is essentially a $1M campaign for our future at a time when we know our immediate need for support to balance our 2023 budget is also critical,” said associate managing director, Holly Feldman. “But when this extraordinary opportunity came along, we knew our supporters would rise to the challenge. And, boy did they come through.”
Once matched, the company will apply $350,000 directly to the mortgage on the creative center, built in 2019, essentially ‘burning’ the mortgage three years ahead of schedule.
In addition, Northern Sky will seed a self-managed endowment with a beginning balance of $650,000, essentially building the ‘bridge’ to the company’s future.