Fundraising Campaign

We did it.

Actually, to be more precise, YOU did it.

We just sharpened our pencils and did the math.

Here’s how it happened on the last day of our capital campaign drive: On the afternoon of March 30, 2017, a message went out sharing the news that we were just $8,500 from making our capital goal of $11 million. A flurry of phone calls, texts and kind givers saw how close we were. And then …

… the first text came in. "I'll do $1,000."

Then another one. "Put our family down for $2,000."

"We'll do $2,500," came another.

Moments later, "I'll cover $1,000."

Then, "We're in for "$1,000."

And finally ... show us at $1,000."

Fifteen minutes after the announcement had been emailed that we were close ... it was done.

So, yes ... you did it.

And when you did, your generosity amounted to a collective donation that was covered sevenfold by four generous Midland foundations.

That part of the story went like this: When we arrived at $9.5 million raised, The Henry Foundation told us they would kick in $100,000, which would get us to $9.6 million. At that point, The Abell-Hanger Foundation had advised they would gift us with $150,000, which would get us to $9.75 million. At that point, The Scharbauer Foundation had told us they had approved $250,000 for us. With that gift assured, we would then be at $10 million, which was where we had to be in order to qualify for The Mabee Foundation’s final gift of $1 million, which would get us to $11 million.

The dominoes didn't fall. They sat up straight, one at a time, as if readying themselves to play their part.

During our capital campaign, we were assisted by a total of 14 foundations, and an equal number of supportive pastors and church communities, who gave us written letters of support, and almost 450 individual financial donors, all working together to help bring The Way Retreat Center to Midland.

It was quite an inspiration.