RACC Funding

Property the RACC built on was owned by School District and dedicated to this project.

$900,000 – City Referendum

$1,000,000 – State of Minnesota Grant

$4,000,000 – Redwood Area School District Maximum Effort Property Tax Formula

$250,000 – “Mighty Ducks” Grant

$2,800,000 – City of Redwood Falls

$250,000 – Private Donations

$9,200,000 – Total Project Cost

RACC Timeline

1995
Citing a shortage of facilities to meet the growing demand of programming, the City of Redwood Falls began exploring different options of a Community Center.  The City Council authorized a feasibility study using a $25,000 Bremer Bank Grant.

1996
Results of the feasibility study were presented to the City Council.

March 1997 – February 1999
A Citizen’s Task Force Committee was formed and consisted of more than 100 people.  Over 55 public meetings were held to discuss different aspects of the Community Center.  The process included brainstorming with 15 different representative groups that had specific interests and several open house.  (Several hundred people were involved one way or another.)  Research from over 30 other community centers across Minnesota was used in this project.

September 1999
Ground Breaking

December 2, 2000
Grand Opening

2000 to 2018—RACC Operates very successfully throughout these years.

2016 RACC Expansion Funding

$675,000 – City of Redwood Falls

$275,000 – Redwood Area School District

$500,000 – Private Donations

$1,450,000 –Total Expansion Project Cost

RACC Expansion 2016 Timeline

May 2014

Discussions begin on relocation of the United Senior Association and Lutheran Social Services from their current location at the Ehlers Intergenerational Center.  Numerous locations throughout the community were researched with the leadership team.  The leadership team consisted of United Senior Association Board Members, City of Redwood Falls Staff, and Redwood Area School District Staff.

March 2015

The leadership team presents the expansion concept to both the City Council and Redwood Area School District Board at various meetings.  The expansion concept was to add onto the RACC a senior center, board room, fitness studio, fitness center addition, and remodel of the RACC lobby. 

April 2015 –November 2015

City Council and School Board approve the expansion project and continue to discuss financial commitments which were finalized in November 2015 following successful capital campaign.

April 2015 – July 2015

A capital campaign committee was formed to raise $400,000 in private contributions for the expansion project.  The committee involved City of Redwood Falls Staff, Redwood Area School District Staff, United Senior Association Board Member, and community members.  The goal was successful in just four months!  Reaching that goal so provided reassurance that the expansion was right not only for the United Senior Association but the entire community.

May 18, 2015

United Senior Association and Lutheran Social Services first day at the Redwood Area Community Center

March 22, 2016

Ground Breaking for Redwood Area Community Center Expansion – Senior Center, Board Room, Fitness Studio, Fitness Center and Main Lobby Remodel

January 2017

Grand Opening for the Redwood Area Community Center Expansion!

The collaboration between Redwood Area School District and the City of Redwood Falls thrives to the point of being a “lighthouse” project visited and reviewed by schools and cities across Minnesota.

Redwood Area Community Center – Donors

Joining together is a beginning: staying together is progress; working together is success!

$250 – $499

Redwood Falls Women of Today
Photography by David
Bonestroo, Rosene, Anderlik Engineers
Home Medical

$500 – $999

ACTIVEAID, Inc.

$1,000 – $4,999

Redwood Falls Rotary Club
Redwood Area United Way
Comfort Inn
Land O’Lakes
Redwood Area Community Foundation
Redwood Falls Lions Club
Charles D. Gilfillan Paxton Memorial Fund
Redwood Area Electric Cooperative Trust
Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.
Wal-Mart
A&W Furniture and Gifts
Bremer
John & Mary Wilson
Artesyn Technologies

$5,000 – $9,999

Redwood Falls Nursery
Meadowland Cooperative
Harvestland Cooperative
VFW Post 2553
Hometown Bank
Mary Jo & Henry J. Boots

$10,000-$49,999

Central Bi-Products
Minnwest Bank
New Ulm Telecom, Inc.
Great Plains Natural Gas
Otto Bremer Foundation
Monsanto Fund
Redwood Area Education Foundation

$100,000-$499,999

Winifred Ehlers
MN Amateur Sports Commission
City of Redwood Falls Municipal Liquor Store

$500,000-$1 Million

State of Minnesota

OVER $1 Million

City of Redwood Falls Public Utilities Commission
City of Redwood Falls
Redwood Area Public Schools

Redwood Area Community Center Expansion – Donors

$675,000 – City of Redwood Falls

$275,000 – Redwood Area School District

$100,000 – Otto Bremer Trust

$25,000

Orrin S. Estebo Foundation
Redwood County
Thielen Bus Lines, Inc.
Bernie & Joan Frank and Family
Pamela & Bob Ebbesen
Henry & Mary Jo Boots
Janet & Rick Ellingworth
Avera
Bremer Bank
Hometown Bank
Minnwest Bank
NU-Telecom

$12,500

Dave & Darla Sorem
Tom & Sharon Hollatz
William N. & Virginia A. Schmidt
Scott Larson & Robin Stegner
United Senior Citizen Association
ACTIVEAID, Inc.
Jim & Margie Buckley
Weltch & Thomes Families