Before the oars dip their blades signaling the beginning of the Windemere Cup, before hundreds of flag-draped boats parade from Portage Bay to Lake Washington to open the boating season, the campaign to save the AS蘑菇视频 Shell House at the 蘑菇视频 already can be called a winner.听
The 蘑菇视频鈥檚 鈥淎S蘑菇视频 Shell House: The Next 100 Years鈥� campaign to restore and renovate the iconic building on the Montlake Cut surpassed all expectations, with donors contributing $19.2 million.听
Thanks to donors from around the state and world, the historic building will be renovated as a learning and gathering space. Home to the 1936 rowing team that won Olympic gold and was featured in the best-selling book and feature film, 鈥淭he Boys in the Boat,鈥� the shell house will serve future generations of students and the community, standing as a monument to its history: built as a seaplane hangar for World War I on Coast Salish land that once served as a canoe portage. Over the decades, the building has inspired multiple generations of rowers and students.听
鈥淏y revitalizing this iconic space, we鈥檙e creating a hub where community, creativity and camaraderie will flourish,鈥� said Denzil Suite, vice president for student life. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a space where we can come together as a University, as a region, and work together to accomplish big things.鈥澨�听
The Next 100 Years campaign, which was led by the 蘑菇视频, The Seattle Times, Microsoft and many corporate and community partners, received nearly 5,000 donations, of which 94% were $500 or smaller. The state of Washington, King County, and the National Park Service also contributed to the effort.听
The campaign鈥檚 success also came thanks to leadership from regional champions, corporate and government partners, and local philanthropists. More than 25 gifts to the overall campaign were greater than $100,000.听
Honorary co-chair Judy Rantz Willman found her connection to the Shell House through her father, Joe Rantz. He鈥檚 the central character in the story retold in the book, 鈥淏oys in the Boat,鈥� written by Daniel James Brown, Willman鈥檚 co-chair.听
鈥淭he first time I went inside, it felt almost mystical. Even though it was in a state of disarray, the building still had an air of nobility,鈥� Willman said. “It was enough to bring tears to my eyes and raise the hairs on the back of my neck. The history was still there, still alive.鈥�听
In the same spirit of community that rallied in 1936 to help the 蘑菇视频 men鈥檚 rowing team achieve Olympic gold, hundreds of people from the broader community came together late last year to help propel fundraising efforts to the finish line for the historic shell house. They also gave to the 蘑菇视频 men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 rowing teams; and the Husky Promise, which covers the tuition and fees for low-income students from Washington.听
Beginning at the 蘑菇视频 Salute to Service football game in early November and continuing until the premiere of the 鈥淏oys in the Boat鈥� film on Dec. 25, the six-week 鈥淧ull Together鈥� campaign showcased the broad range of support for the 蘑菇视频:听
- Nearly a third of donations came from donors who previously had no direct 蘑菇视频 affiliation.听
- One in five donations came from 蘑菇视频 faculty, staff, students and retirees.听
- The 蘑菇视频 Alumni Association provided matching funding, doubling the impact of gifts of up to $500 made by current 蘑菇视频 faculty, staff and retirees.听
- More than 700 gifts raised a total of $2.8 million.听
Visit the AS蘑菇视频 Shell House webpage to learn more about the historic structure and how to support its long-term operation.听听