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ABOUT US

Our Mission Statement - The Chase County ‘Old School’ Development District is saving history and creating opportunities through a mission to save the built history of the old school and maintain neighborhood integrity by cultivating community engagement, developing opportunities, and ensuring fiscal sustainability.

 

Our Board of Lee Anne and Wade Coester, Sue Alexander, Kay Wealand, Gwen Runde, David and Cheryl Glibbery and Nyla Gibbons, is working to raise funds to secure the property and then support the development of the property to meet community needs.  The group has held several community meetings for input and has sorted the community’s suggestions for this property into the following five categories: outdoor space, gymnasium/stage uses, community services, teaching/learning opportunities, and business/housing ideas.  

 

IN JUST THREE YEARS THE CCOSDD BOARD & VOLUNTEERS HAVE MET TWO OF THEIR THREE MAIN GOALS AND THE 3RD IS PROGRESSING WELL.
• 1ST - ACHIEVED STATE & NATIONAL HISTORIC REGISTRY DESIGNATION FOR ENTIRE PROPERTY
• 2ND - RESEARCHED AND FOUND A DEVELOPER FOR THE 1903 BUILDING, developed and signed a contract for sale protecting both the 1903 building and the Community Building. Worked with the developer to obtain grants to convert classrooms to much needed apartments for the community.
• 3RD – DEVELOPED THE GYM BUILDING INTO A MUCH NEEDED COMMUNITY CENTER. With that goal in mind:
• Our 8 volunteer board members clocked over 2500 volunteer hours and gave over $3300 in monetary donations in just the past 2 years.
• We set up a 501(C)3 organization with a board, bylaws, etc, established a bank account, an Emporia Community Foundation account, a PayPal account, and developed a website, a Facebook page, and an email account
• We obtained insurance to protect the property
• We got utilities to the building, including security lighting
• As fundraisers, we held approximately 40 major events – auctions & craft fairs, car shows, runs, haunted houses, Silent Disco, food sales, paranormal investigation, holiday events, open gym nights, quilt show, youth and adult art events, open houses
• We held approximately 85 official board meetings and an additional 40 official work days – cleaning, painting, building, preparing
• We cleaned up and have maintained the 7+ acre property
• We added HVAC to a major portion of the community building
• We added a new roof to all of the flat portion of the community building
• We renovated a kitchen, two bathrooms, two large classrooms, an office and a conference room. We partially renovated 2 remaining bathrooms.
• We rented 2 spaces indefinitely and other spaces for daily use multiple times
• Allowed Chase County Commodities food program free use of building
• Sponsored a multi-year Pickleball program, Community Pitch Nights & Book Club
• We have written 13 grants and been awarded 8.

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