tobias romaniuk
post staff
She’s the woman partially responsible for giving the Bold Center its name, as well as every other name on walls and plaques throughout the facility. She’s the woman who doubled her fundraising goal despite beginning her efforts in the midst of one of the country’s worst recessions.
Jane Palmer, multiplex fundraising co-ordinator, wrapped up her contract with Lac La Biche County last week, two years and 4.5 million dollars after being told by people in other municipalities who have built multiplexes that it was unlikely she would find more than one large sponsor. She found several, including Plamondon-based construction company Bold Developments taking naming rights with their $1.4 million dollar donation, and oil industry giant Cenovus contributing $750,000.
Through it all she was guided by a motto that, hearing her talk, sounds genuine.
“Believe in your community,” she said. “That’s the motivator, believe in your community.”
She’s always believed. When the issue of borrowing $40 million to pay for the facility was brought to a community vote, she believed that people truly wanted the new recreation centre. When coming up with ways to sell the various components within the centre, she believed community members would want to have their names on seats in the field house.
And she believed in the Bold Center itself, that it was something that would benefit the community.
Her efforts didn’t come without challenges. There was the recession, which she optimistically refers to as an “economic downturn”, that made asking people for money a little more challenging. But she kept the door open. She always kept the door open, and sometimes people would return to walk through it again.
The plebiscite, and the talk it generated about the multiplex, was actually a good thing in Palmer’s eyes, as it helped to raise awareness about the facility, and likely helped bring some people on board. But it also created a lot of misinformation.
So for a while, she was battling half-truths that included attacks on her reported $90,000 salary. She was doing more public relations work than straight fundraising. But it was all part of laying the groundwork for what would come.
At last Tuesday’s council meeting, her last day of the contract, Palmer presented an overview of the fundraising efforts, pointing out the highlights and the difficulties faced. The ‘ups’ have far outweighed any ‘downs.’
“To be honest, it’s been quite exciting,” she told council, adding her work was still not done.
Later that day she would be accepting a $100,000 donation from Heart Lake and a similar one from the local Sobeys, and had another lined up for the next week.
Far from slowing down after reaching her goal of $2 million, she has enough work to keep going, as fundraising passes the $4.5 million dollar mark. The task of raising money has now fallen to Bold Center marketing co-ordinator Matt Rogers, and the fundraising committee.
“I left a folder full of leads with them,” said Palmer, adding that the fundraising committee deserves a lot of recognition for the dollars raised. It was their business contacts and community connections that opened doors, and it was that group that deserves a large portion of recognition, she said.
In the council chambers, that recognition was echoed by the elected officials.
“You and your volunteers are to be congratulated,” said Coun. Guy Piquette.
Although nothing was decided at the meeting, there was talk of officially recognizing Palmer and the fundraisers. The issue will be discussed further at a future council meeting.
Palmer now returns to her position at Community Futures after a two-year secondment by the municipality.