Fundraising

Donations can be sent to: The Community Foundation, 505 West 4th Ave Suite A, Olympia, WA. 98501. Make checks payable to "The Community Foundation" and indicate they are for the benefit of "The Friends of Artesians fund" . Donations are tax deductible.

Since 1991 more than $20,000 has been raised by the Friends to support the establishment of a permanent public artesian well in downtown Olympia. At the very first public meeting someone from the audience on hearing the idea asked us to pass a hat. That first $50 was the beginning of “money coming up under pressure" as the "the voice of the community" compelling the formation of Friends. The history of this project has been characterized by spontaneous outpouring of unsolicited funds. Among those leading the way are:

• The Freas Foundation underwrote the production of a film about artesian wells used in fundraising and to gain support for the Olympia project. This included purchase of a computer, supplies and airline tickets to Salt Lake City. The foundation also gave $3,000 in cash.
• The Haas Charitable Trust donated $10,000
• Home Street Bank has contributed gifts of $1,000 for several years.
• Yvonne McElroy donated $3,000.
• The hundreds of private citizens who have contributed $10 & $25 at a time over the years.

The money has been used to pay for well and water testing, protection of the existing well, hydro geologic studies and education about artesian wells. The current balance of funds held by The Community Foundation on behalf of the Friends is $7,932.

We are working with The Community Foundation and the City to develop a way of providing funds for the ongoing operation and maintenance of the well. In anticipation of that, The Friends propose taking the following actions to raise additional funds.

• We anticipate harvesting pledges and promises expressed over the years:
  Friends core members themselves stand ready to pledge an additional $2,500 in cash donations when the Port and City of Olympia sign an agreement and the test well is drilled.
• Public donations following well drilling & testing:
  Friends will coordinate a public event before the test well is drilled including coverage by local newspapers and media. The publicity will include information on making donations directly to The Community Foundation. In the past, these media events have generated hundreds of small ($10 - $25) contributions by interested public.
• Targeted mailing:
  Friends are compiling a list of 100 individuals and businesses who have expressed interest in supporting the project. We will be asking them to make a minimum donation of $100 each. This mailing will go out after the test well is drilled, the water tested and found to be safe. The mailing will include information on the requirements for a year of testing, the Port and City commitments to operating the well, drawings of the proposed Artesian Pocket Park, and how the donations will be used by the City to operate and maintain the park.
• Information on fundraising will be posted at the Diamond Well site.

Subsequent fundraising activities will be planned depending upon the response to the initial fundraising activities. These may include solicitation of private foundation funds, art and musical events during “Arts Walk”, and targeted fundraising materials at local businesses.

If you want to see who many of the folks are who have been contributing and who among the community has endorsed the vision of the project.