The Friends of the Woodman's Center is excited to host a Woodman's Center Community Day event on Saturday, April 1, at Uptown Janesville from 10 am to 1 pm. The event is open to all community members, including those who still have questions about how the project will impact them or anyone who wants to come out and cheer for its success. The community day will also celebrate the many individuals and organizations in support of the proposed project and its achievements, including Governor Evers' recent visit to Janesville and his announcement of funding the City of Janesville's request of $15M for the facility in his capital budget.
"This is an exciting time for the community to see the project support we hear about all the time from store owners, employees, and shoppers," said Julie Cubbage, General Manager at Uptown Janesville. "From the Indoor Farmer's Market to the Woodman's Center Community Day, Uptown will be busy on April 1. And everyone attending can get a glimpse into the future and see exactly how valuable the location is to Janesville residents, small businesses, and local individuals and families looking to socialize and stay active and engaged."
The open-house-style event will feature a Friends lounge open to the public to sit down and speak in an informal setting with community volunteers who have been actively engaged in the planning process for the facility.
"While our group has been busy providing presentations to over 2,000 community members and civic organizations since 2022, hosting the Community Day offers another way for individuals to connect directly with us and witness the excitement that is out there from so many," said Oakleigh Ryan, a Friends volunteer leading the event. "We hope this will also provide the community an opportunity to feel a stronger sense of understanding and inclusion in the project."
Community Day activities include:
A look at the most recent project renderings, estimated costs, and community impact numbers.
Opportunities for discussion and providing feedback to the volunteer group.
Spaces for children's games and sports, adult recreation, entertainment, and special events – similar to those that could take place at the proposed Woodman's Center.
Critical project supporters, including Woodman's Markets, Mercyhealth, the City of Janesville, Janesville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Uptown Janesville, will be present.
The Friends team is focused on connecting the community through awareness and outreach, fundraising, and securing $9M in grants, private sponsorships, and individual pledges.
"The Friends have been a wonderful project partner, facilitating extensive community outreach, gathering feedback, and working to ensure that the Woodman's Center best meets community needs," said Jennifer Petruzzello, Neighborhood & Community Services Director at the City of Janesville. "We hope the Community Day event will serve as a positive platform to showcase local values and the committed involvement from those who seek better for our community."
The event will occur inside the former Sears building at 2500 Milton Avenue. To access the event, guests must enter through any of Uptown Janesville's main entrances and are encouraged to visit and shop the local vendors at the Indoor Farmer's Market as well.
Stay engaged and keep learning
As leaders familiar with helping drive, fund, volunteer time and resources, and offer expert support to public-private partnership projects, we know that opposing groups can inaccurately interpret facts and data. Therefore, we encourage the public to attend our events and check out our project page's many studies, cost data, and economic impact resources for the most accurate review.
If you can't attend the event, our group also welcomes any feedback at friends@woodmanscenter.com, and can work with our available volunteers to connect productively with you or your organization. We also hope you share your questions and concerns with community decision-makers.
Understanding the Friends role in this project
We believe in public and private partnerships. The Friends of the Woodman's Center has supported the project since 2019. In addition, we work closely with business leaders, local, state, and federal lawmakers, community organizations, the City of Janesville, the Janesville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, and private donors.
Our group efforts are largely volunteer-driven. Our team is focused on connecting the community through awareness and outreach, fundraising, and securing private sponsorships supporting the Woodman's Center.
Our commitment is to raise a minimum of $9M. This amount would total the largest and most significant private fundraising campaign in Janesville's history and can only be achieved with your project support. We will continue fundraising efforts after reaching this tremendous fundraising milestone.
For more information about the Woodman's Center project, visit www.woodmanscenter.com or visit with the Friends on Facebook at facebook.com/woodmanscenter.