Local businesses ramp up support for gym

Support is mounting for constructing a new gymnasium in New Rockford. Last week North American Bison, LLC, committed $50,000 to the project. The funds will be donated over five years, with $10,000 provided annually. Mike Jacobson, Vice President of Operations for North American Bison, said that while the donations from the first year or two will likely go towards construction, the premise of the annual gift is to offer support for ongoing operations and maintenance of the facility once it is built.

This donation is all about the kids. "Because of the hard work done by the employees of North American Bison, we're happy to not only support their families but are thrilled to be in a position to contribute back to the community," Jacobson said. Many of the company's employees have children in the New Rockford-Sheyenne School District, so this donation will directly support their athletic pursuits for years to come.

Jacobson is directly involved in the project, as he is an active school board member and part of the building committee for the district. He said last week that the committee plans to engage an engineer soon in order to develop a construction plan and more accurate cost estimate for the project.

All the contributions are being held in a special fund managed by the North Dakota Community Foundation, which will not be released until construction commences.

Tubby Bymoen, fundraising chair, noted Monday that there's still time for alumni and friends to contribute. "If you received a letter and haven't yet acted on it, please consider adding this project to your giving plans," he said. "We are getting close to making this gym a reality, and with your help, we can get there."

NDTC, our local telecommunications provider, also recently announced a donation to the project. The $1,500 gift comes from their Dollars in Motion program.

The New Rockford Transcript launched an exclusive line of Rocket gear for the holiday season, with 20% of the proceeds earmarked for the gymnasium. Although we initially planned the fundraising effort to last two weeks, we have decided to extend the promotion indefinitely. So far the effort has generated $500 for the project. The store will be stocked through the basketball season, so stop in and show your support for Rocket athletics and the gym project by purchasing hats, hoodies, tees and joggers for Rocket fans of all sizes! Out of area readers, watch our website for an opportunity to purchase your gear online and have it shipped directly to you.