The Seward Wellness Center is beginning to take shape as the first of its steel walls went up last week.
Sampson Construction continues work on the facility, located north of Waverly Road on Eaton Drummer Boulevard, just across from Seward Middle School.
The walls and part of the roof were pieced together on the ground, then hoisted upright and moved into place with a crane.
Wellness Center Executive Director Joel Brase said much of the building is already assembled on the ground, and the last of the footings were being poured.
“In another month, it’s going to be pretty impressive. They’re on schedule and even ahead with the nice weather,” he said.
In addition, Seward Changing the Game, the fundraising entity behind the wellness center, is kicking off a new phase of its efforts.
Brase said the organization is working with KidGlov, a Lincoln-based marketing firm to take fundraising to the next level.
The organization recently received a large donation, but was challenged to match the donation to help fund the facility’s long-term endowment.
“All of them have done amazing work on the amount of money that has been generated and the donations seen, but they’re at the point they don’t feel they can get any more,” Brase said.
Of the $7 million to $8 million the organization has already generated, those dollars came from only about 125 donors.
“That’s a lot of money and not too many donors,” he said.
KidGlov will research the best ways to approach more of the community for smaller donations to finish off the project.
“They feel the push to fulfill the endowment right now, which would be a huge blessing going forward,” Brase said.
With a goal of $3 million, the endowment will support future equipment purchases and repairs as the facility ages so the responsibility will not fall to taxpayers.
