Ed & Betty Wilcox | Ernie Williams Ltd Algona, Iowa
A new Performing Arts Center will be coming soon to Algona High School thanks to a generous donation by Ed and Betty Wilcox of Ernie Williams Ltd. The couple was looking for a way to give back to the community when they heard that Algona Community School District’s superintendent, Marty Fonley, had been dreaming about building a Performing Arts Center for quite some time.
“We were at a point in our lives where we were able to make a sizeable donation to the communi- ty,” said Ed Wilcox. “After meeting with Superin- tendent Fonley and learning more about his plans, we decided this was the perfect project to sup- port for the community.” In the end, the couple gave $5 million to the Algona Community School District to construct the Ed and Betty Wilcox Per- forming Arts Center and to establish a $1 million endowment fund for maintenance of the facility.
Wilcox’s former boss, Ernie Williams, inspired him to make the sizeable donation. “A few years ago, the Algona community raised money to build a YMCA and Ernie was a major financial contributor to that project,” said Wilcox. “When I later heard that the YMCA was one of the main reasons why a
certain doctor or business chose to come to Algo- na, I realized how important it was to have things (like the YMCA) in our town to attract and keep people here. This auditorium will be another gem in our community.”
Three local organizations also donated $500,000 to the project, while another group raised money to purchase a Steinway grand piano for use at the facility. Additional funds were also raised selling $250 nameplates for each seat in the auditori- um, securing an extra $200,000 to go toward the facility.
Wilcox feels there is a real need for a performing arts center throughout the community. “School band and choir concerts are currently held in the high school gymnasium and Algona’s annual community concert series is without a home after its performance venue was sold to a construction company,” said Wilcox. “This community definite- ly needs an auditorium.” The new auditorium will not only be used by the Algona Community School District, but the Algona community and the Bishop Garrigan schools as well. “I look forward to attending a variety of concerts and performances in the new auditorium,” he added.
14 | The Retailer Magazine | Sept/Oct
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