The Weyburn Theatre Community Service Co-operative announced a significant step forward in its fundraising efforts for the new downtown theatre, thanks to a monumental contribution from the Weyburn Young Fellows Club.
Ryan Janke, president of the theatre co-operative, revealed that the Young Fellows have donated an additional $150,000, bringing their total support for the project to an inspiring $250,000.
“This is one of the largest donations the Young Fellows Club has ever made to a community project, and also one of the largest ones that our project has received,” Janke stated. This major donation brings the total funds raised for the new theatre to $1.65 million.
The Young Fellows had previously sponsored the theatre's party room with an initial donation of $100,000. According to Janke, the latest contribution comes with no strings attached for additional sponsorship or recognition.
“They're not going after any particular sponsorship,” Janke explained. “This is really just about saying we are a big fan of this project, and we want to see it go ahead.”
Janke, who is also a member of the Young Fellows, expressed his excitement, calling the donation validating.
“The Young Fellows have been a part of all the major community projects the city has ever done,” he said. “Having them step up and put additional support behind our project tells me that the community is behind us, that Weyburn believes this is a thing we want, that we need, and that we are going to have.”
The announcement comes as the project prepares to hit a major construction milestone. Janke confirmed that the foundation for the new theatre on 3rd Street is set to be poured within the next week, weather permitting. The cooperative also hopes to have the walls up before the first snowfall.
Despite the progress, Janke noted that the project still faces challenges due to inflation. To meet these demands, a new fundraising committee has been formed.
“Our new fundraising committee is going to be hitting the streets fairly soon,” Janke announced. “They've got a new package of sponsorship opportunities specifically tailored for local Weyburn businesses to make sure everyone's got an opportunity to be a part of this.”
With the renewed support from cornerstone community groups like the Young Fellows, Janke is confident the project will reach its goals.
“With that kind of support behind us, we are definitely going to have it,” he affirmed. “This community is going to get us across the finish line 100%.”