Chuck Eckstadt and Morag Koerner (Forge Mountain Club) the first and last donors.
Nearly a decade ago, when the founding volunteers of the Johnson County Center for the Arts dreamed of opening an arts center in Mountain City, some doubted whether it was possible. But Evelyn Cook’s now-famous words became their rallying cry:“If people don’t call you crazy, your dream isn’t big enough.”Those same words inspired the center’s leadership once again last year, when they made the bold decision to expand and purchase the Gallery on Main building.
Almost exactly one year after the Gallery on Main opened its doors, that dream has been fully realized: the building fundraiser is complete. The gift that pushed the project over the finish line was made in memory of Jeffrey Baker Stout.“Our gift given in dedication of my brother, Jeffrey Baker Stout and his love for the arts brings him closer to our Appalachian area and the way of life he loved,”saidDr. Linda Stout Nelson.“Bob and I feel honored to support the mission and the positive impact the Arts Center has had for our Johnson County community.”
Like so many in the community, Stout was moved by Cook’s passion for the arts. Cook remembers Jeffrey Stout fondly as one of her most talented students and adds“If you believe that something is really needed in the community and you are willing to work for it, people will support you. So many people said that this town was too small and there was no way we could make an arts center successful here. Just look at the support we’ve received.”
This spring, the Forge Mountain Group pledged to match every donation dollar-for-dollar until the fundraising goal was reached. That promise energized donors and gave the final campaign a significant boost.“I think Vincent Van Gogh’s words are fitting to what the Arts Center has achieved in the quest to give everyone a space to share their creativity and uniqueness,”commented Morag Koerner of Forge Mountain Group,“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.“
With the fundraiser complete, a donor recognition tree will soon be installed to honor the more than 200 donors who made this project possible. An anonymous $10,000 gift jump-started the campaign, followed by the very first contribution from Chuck Eckstadt. As renovations at the Gallery on Main progressed, the DanPaul Foundation stepped in with another generous matching gift. Many contributions were given in memory of loved ones, including gifts fromthe Cook Family and our generous legacy donors honoring the memory of Bill and Myrtle Brookshire and Aunt Nancy Brookshire Garrick. A full list of donors is available atwww.JoCoArtCenter.org.
The Center for the Arts has been embraced by the community from its earliest days.“The arts bring people together and help us become the best version of ourselves. Not only are the arts a salve for the soul when times get hard, they also generate a lot of economic activity which can be very important in rural towns like ours,”said Center Director Cristy Dunn.“We are so grateful to every person and business that has supported this fundraiser and the Arts Center over the years. I wish I could name every one of them here, but it would take pages! We will strive to fulfill the Arts Center’s mission and vision to the very best of our ability.”
