Auditorium/Fitness Center dedication

At one time, the project faced a deficit of $150,000, which led the school to explore fund raising as another option to get revenue for the project.

To date about $25,100 has been donated to the facility. The majority of that - $20,000 - was donated by Phyllis Nielsen to help cover the expense of the new sound system in the auditorium. She will be recognized with a plaque in the addition.

Other donors will also be recognized as well. The planned plaque will have three columns to recognize donors to the auditorium, fitness center, or both. One plaque will recognize donors who have given over $150 and another those who have given over $250.

Donations can be sent directly to the district office at 217 Mill Street West, Paynesville, MN 56362.

These plaques are to be in place before the grand opening on Thursday, Aug. 30. The deadline for donations will be Wednesday, Aug. 15.

Baby grand piano
A separate fund raiser has been started by the People Promoting Music for a baby grand piano.

The school district received a $8,000 Central Minnesota Arts Board small capital arts grant for the purchase of a piano, which was used to make a down payment of $10,000 last week on a black Pramberger piano. The piano is nearly seven feet long, and the school purchased it at a reduced cost of $17,995.

The piano should be delivered in time for the dedication ceremony on Friday. Vocal music instructor Cheryl Bungum is in the process of arranging to have people play on the new piano at the dedication.

"We have dreamed for a long time of having a baby grand for concerts," said Bungum, a vocal music instructor in the school district. "A small upright would look and sound out of place in the new auditorium. The sound from a baby grand will fill up the auditorium better."

Bungum also felt the grand piano will entice outside groups to perform in Paynesville.

The music department has been selling notes to raise additional funds for the piano. Music students will be selling notes along the Town and Country Day parade route tonight - a quarter note is 25 cents; a half note, 50 cents; a whole note $1, two eighth notes, $5; four 16th notes, $15; a quarter rest, $25; a half rest, $50 and a whole rest, $100.

Bungum will have the notes, including the purchaser's name, posted on the lobby wall showing who has made donations toward the baby grand piano.