(Spirit Lake)– It’s been nearly a year now since the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation announced plans to preserve 3,500 feet of shoreline on the northeast side of Big Spirit Lake known as Angler’s Bay.
Mark Ackelson, President of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, announced Thursday 80 percent of the private funds needed for the project have been raised. Of the 600 donors, Ackelson says 100 have contributed a thousand dollars or more. He says the donors are from throughout Iowa and even the country.
So far, Ackelson says 1,333,500-dollars has been raised in private funds. That’s in addition to 3.5 million dollars in public funds that have been committed.
While the fundraising appears headed down the homestretch, Ackelson is quick to point out some major hurdles still exist. He says an additional 333,500-dollars must be raised yet from families, foundations and businesses. In addition, Ackelson says the legislature will be asked to appropriate another 1.5 million dollars for the project, as it did in 2006.
Recent major grants were received from the Dickinson County Water Quality Commission and Bank Midwest.
