By Celine Klosterman
About halfway into the official fundraising season for bloc 2 of the Davenport Diocese’s capital campaign, the 44 participating Catholic entities have raised more than $2 million toward their $14 million goal – an encouraging sign, according to Community Counseling Services. That professional development firm is overseeing the diocese’s fundraising effort.
At a meeting May 3 at St. Patrick Church in Iowa City, St. Mary Parish in Oskaloosa was among parishes reporting their fundraising progress to Bishop Martin Amos. Madonna Bowie, who is helping chair St. Mary’s campaign, told The Catholic Messenger that her parish has raised about 180 percent of its $200,000 goal. “We thought our goal was attainable, but thought we could do so much more,” she said.
She attributed the parish’s success to personal visits that Father Tom Spiegel, pastor, committed to making to many families to discuss the campaign. “His support and involvement were definitely what really helped us.”
Donors were also motivated by knowledge that some funds raised would return to St. Mary’s, Bowie said. Twenty percent of funds received up to a parish’s target goal and 50 percent of any overage is returned to the parish.
Also reporting progress were St. Mary parishes in Lone Tree and Nichols, which reported a significant increase in money raised after about two weeks of active fundraising. The Nichols parish has raised 80 percent of its $24,000 goal, and the Lone Tree parish has raised 61 percent of its $40,000 goal.
Gayle Kaalberg, campaign chair for St. Mary’s in Nichols, praised parishioners who “stepped forward” to promote the drive and contact other parishioners. He also credited his wife, Carol Kaalberg, the parishes’ parish life administrator, for organizing the campaign.
Also during the Iowa City meeting, Father Patrick Lumsden, pastor of St. Peter Parish in Lovilia and St. Patrick parishes in Georgetown and Melrose, presented a $15,000 check to Bishop Amos. The funds came from one anonymous donor, Fr. Lumsden told the Messenger.
Bishop Amos said he is pleased with the campaign’s overall progress and thanked priests and parish volunteers for their efforts. He also stressed the importance of following the campaign plan and timetable so the campaign can wrap up by June’s end.
“People should be proud to be part of this monumental effort to help the Diocese of Davenport ‘move forward in faith and hope,’” said Mike Bauer, capital campaign chair, referring to the campaign’s title.
