Aspen Community School moving closer to its goal

ASPEN – The Aspen Community School eclipsed the $3 million mark Thursday in its effort to raise $4.9 million by May 1 in order to obtain a state grant to upgrade its Woody Creek campus.

Also, the public charter school announced its “Bring Home the BEST” initiative to raise the final funding for the $4.2 million grant.

Friday, the school will launch an online funding project to complement the traditional philanthropy tools already in the works. Using IndieGoGo, a crowd-funding platform for creative projects, the school aims to make it easy to contribute to the cause.

The project, with donation levels starting at $10, will run online at http://igg.me/at/BEST through April 26. Donations are tax-deductible and will be matched dollar for dollar to rebuild the school’s aging facilities in Woody Creek.

“We’re bringing $4.2 million in state education funding to the valley, and we need everyone in the community to step up and show their support for outstanding public education by May 1,” Executive Director Skye Skinner said. “For the price of a latte and a scone, anyone can be a part of history.”

Last month, the school announced a million-dollar gift from the Walton Family Foundation, which, along with proceeds from a recent art auction, brought the campaign coffers up to $2.8 million. The school expects to announce more large-scale gifts in the coming weeks.

The IndieGoGo project aims to add $30,000 to the BEST tally. Backers of the project will receive perks that range from practical and humorous to luxurious. A $10 donation buys the school a bucket of paint, $100 garners a new toilet, and $5,000 earns one lucky donor a week-long stay at a vacation home on the Mexican Riviera.

The “Bring Home the BEST” initiative is part of the Aspen Community School’s “I Believe” campus campaign to replace its aging log facilities.