The San Juan Islands Agricultural Guild is the recipient of a $100,000 matching donation pledge to help pay for building renovations at its Brickworks site, in the core of Friday Harbor. Under terms of the pledge, for every donation contributed by others up to $100,000, the anonymous pledge donors will contribute a like amount to the Guild’s capital campaign.

According to the Guild, when the pledge is completely matched, the resulting $200,000 will represent a major step towards its initial goal of raising $430,000 to complete both the renovation of the building and addition of a commercial kitchen.  “This amazingly generous contribution by a local island resident family provides a major boost to our fundraising activities”, said Susie Wampler, Ag a member of the Guild’s board of directors, who is helping to spearhead the fundraising campaign. “Coming hard on the heels of several other major recent contributions and pledge commitments, we are fired up by the extraordinary support we are receiving from the community for the Brickworks Project.”

The goal of the Guild capital campaign is to raise $800,000, which will not only cover all the planned renovations and additions, but also pay off the original loan taken out as part of the purchase of the historic building at 150 Nichols Street. Meeting that goal help make the Brickworks project self-sustaining through rental fees and proceeds from other events at Brickworks, according to the Guild.

“Through extraordinary leadership grants and pledges such as this, along with the growing number of donations and in-kind contributions by an enthusiastic  group of volunteers, our objective of having the building up and running by next summer is now clearly in sight,” Wampler said.

Located in the downtown core of Friday Harbor, the site is called “Brickworks” because it was historically the site of the Friday Harbor Brick and Tile Co., which manufactured blocks used in the construction of many downtown heritage buildings, including Town Hall.

The Brickworks Project is seen by the Ag Guild as the centerpiece of its mission to foster a vibrant and sustainable local food system in San Juan County, through technical and financial support of the local agricultural community, consumer education, and advocacy on behalf of consumers and agricultural producers. When the renovation is complete, the Guild expects Brickworks will serve as an economic driver in the island’s economy, bringing new life and sense of community to a previously underdeveloped and neglected part of the Friday Harbor downtown area.

For information on volunteering and donating, visit www.fhbrickworks.com or write to info@fhbrickworks.com.