Starting over
By Danielle Abbott
The Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center was originally constructed in 1997, utilizing $1.5 million from the Department of Transportation’s ‘Transportation Enhancement’ funding. Three years later during updates to the center, the state put in another $1.3 million, which was matched by personal donations, totaling $2 million. After two multi-million dollar projects at the center, it is time once again for a facelift. "Now we are asking for another $1.5 million," said Lewis and Clark Fort Mandan Foundation President David Borlaug, "This is the first time that we’ve made this significant of a request." Lewis and Clark Fort Mandan Foundation Vice-Chairman Dennis Boyd made the request on Jan. 16. Borlaug said that the project will be approximately $3 million, and the money that is not granted from the government will be raised through private and public donations. "We’ve already secured a substantial amount of funding to match this in a private campaign," Borlaug said, "We have a lot of money already raised, just waiting for us to do something special with it." Borlaug also said that the members and donors are the key to the interpretative center’s success. "They are the heart and soul," he said, "They are generous people that like what we’re doing and see that what we are doing is such a wonderful thing for North Dakota and the entire country." More fundraising and campaigning will be needed to fulfill the additional $1.5 million needed. Borlaug said that later in the year, the donation opportunities and fundraising would be opened up to interpretive center members and the general public, giving everyone a chance to participate.
