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Supporters of the Dade City project set August 2003 as a new deadline for money.
By CHASE SQUIRES, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published July 30, 2002
DADE CITY -- The show must go on, community theater backers decided Monday.
Supporters had set a deadline of last week to raise the money for a new 250-seat theater adjacent to the old Crescent Theatre site. But though donations fell short, supporters said, there was so much community interest in the final days that the drive should continue for another year.
Supporters set a deadline of July 23 to raise money needed to match a $500,000 state grant they hoped to obtain. Over four years, they raised more than $230,000 but haven't found the number of large donors they need to make the goal.
Project spokeswoman Ginny Solberg said the outpouring of support from small and some corporate donors in July made her believe that given more time, the rest of the money could be raised.
"I never thought this project was dead if we did not go forward with this grant. Four years have gone into this, we have shown there is community support for this project," Solberg said. "Maybe I'm just a cockeyed optimist."
Others at Monday's meeting shared her optimism. Dade City Manager Doug Drymon and Mayor Scott Black said the city would continue to help look for available grants, and Barbara Friedman of the Heritage Arts Foundation said others would help comb private foundations and arts supporters for help.
Supporters agreed to update all donors so far with a letter outlining the plans for the coming year and the bid to raise the rest of the money by August 2003.
One worry, Friedman said, was that next year Zephyrhills will be applying for a grant from the same state program that supports the arts. Zephyrhills officials have talked about building a performing arts center near that city's post office.
Friedman said she hoped everyone who has donated or pledged money to the project would stick with the effort and not demand a refund. The dream for a theater remains alive, it's just taking a year longer than expected, she said.
"We can take a breath now," Friedman said. "We take our time and make this happen."