The InterServ Foundation on Thursday announced the results of its capital campaign to erect a new community center.

The “Building InterServ” capital campaign was developed in order to replace the Wesley Center at 200 Cherokee Street, with a goal of $5 million.

Over just two weeks they were able to raise $4.35 million of that. InterServ’s reserve assets will provide the remaining funds to achieve the committee’s goal.

The campaign was co-chaired by Mr. Joseph K. Houts, Jr. and Ms. Joyce Edwards. Other committee members include Ms. Karen Baker, Mr. Ron Barbosa, Mr. Shawn Drew, Mr. Steve Huff, Mr. Joseph Mazur, Mrs. Shannon Moore, Mr. Gordon Robaska, Mr. J.L. Robertson, Mr. David Stevenson, Mr. Matthew Tabor, Mrs. Heidi Walker, Mr. Terry Wickham, InterServ Executive Director David G. Howery , Executive Director of The InterServ Foundation Ms. Bridget J. Supple, and Mr. Brett King – Director of Resource Development at InterServ.

“Building InterServ” began as InterServ’s vision of a commitment to the community of St. Joseph, enabling people of all faiths to come together at one place, offering help to those in need, services to the poor and vulnerable and an overall expansion of InterServ’s mission of assisting people to live their lives more fully and more capably.

All campaign funding will support new construction at the corner of Cherokee Street and King Hill Avenue, the demolition of the Wesley Center and construction of an outdoor recreational area where the Wesley Center is currently located.

Major funders (over $100,000) of the campaign include: The Mildred Huffman Family, South St. JosephProgressive Association, Mosaic Life Care, Norma J. and William J. Kenney Charitable Trust, Harold P. Dugdale
Charitable Trust.

Ellison-Auxier Architects, Inc. is the design firm for the project. Preliminary work on the design has started and will be finalized in December, providing for a new gymnasium, community commons, fitness/weight room, kitchen and food pantry. The timeline for the project includes construction bids to be offered in January of 2017 with ground breaking later that spring.