From Here To Eternity Capital Campaign - Moving Forward Phase

 

Today God is calling us . . . to advance the ministry of Heartland Lutheran High School and                                                                     accomplish the goals He has laid on our hearts.  In order to accomplish this, we are launching the

Moving Forward phase of the From Here To Eternity Campaign. 

 

In October 2011, the From Here To Eternity Campaign was launched.  The campaign was designed

with the goal of raising $5 million to retire our mortgage debt and build endowment. May 2014, over

130 pledges or gifts had been made to this campaign, totaling over $900,000.  Unfortunately, this was

significantly short of the campaign goal and to make matters worse, most of the gifted funds were

used to make annual interest and principle payments on the mortgage, a move that was necessary

to continue the operation of HLHS.

 

Goal 1 - Because of this, the campaign has been retooled, creating new goals and a revived focus.  We are seeking to refinance our mortgage at a reduced interest rate, but we do want to reduce the principle.  We presently have a $3.15 million mortgage.  Raising $650,000 would reduce the principle to $2.5 million. 

 

Goal 2 - As mentioned above, much of the income from the first  part of this campaign was used to pay the interest on the mortgage.  We have a plan to manage the mortgage in the future, but we need to phase in that plan.  The interest is about $225,000 per year.  The school will cover $75,000 of it during the 2014-2015 school year and $150,000 of it during 2015-2016.  The school will take on the full amount after that.  So, funds from this campaign will cover the rest during this period of transition.

 

Goal 3 - In order to grow and excel, we need to offer the best programs and the best experiences for students.  There are some programs and areas that need to be improved.  We need to fund improvements to transportation, technology, security, and more. (see below for more details)

 

Goal 4 - Through many generous donations over the years, we are blessed with an endowment fund of about $250,000, which is held by the Heartland Lutheran Foundation. The interest from these invested funds helps to fund our tuition assistance program.  We want to double the endowment fund, raising $250,000 so that our invested funds exceed half a million.  This isn’t an urgent priority, but it does help to ensure the future success of HLHS and our students.

 

 

Program improvements

 

Transportation—We need to upgrade our school bus and other vehicles by committing $40,000 to this area.  We need to have reliable transportation for athletics, field trips, and other extra-curricular activities.  The money will buy a used, but much better bus and another smalle activity bus/van.

 

Technology—We want to enhance the education we provide through the use of  educational technology.  We want each student to have a device (laptop or tablet) that can be used on a daily basis.  We have received a matching grant for this initiative, so we want to raise $44,000, which will in return give us an additional $22,000 through the grant.

 

Security—We are always concerned for the safety and well-being of our students.  Putting $12,000 toward this area will allow us to enhance our   camera system and add other security measures.

 

Football Field Enhancements—We are in desperate need of a new score board and press box for the football field.  We would like to enhance our seating areas as well.  A total of $23,000 is needed to accomplish these things.

 

Campus Improvements—There are various projects that we would like to complete to enhance our campus’s appearance and functionality, including things like landscaping, communications systems, signage and more.  We are in need of $10,000 to complete these projects.

 

Educational Support—We need to make sure that our teachers have the resources they need to provide the best educational experiences to our students.  We need to fund programs sufficiently.  $6,000 is needed to purchase these resources. 

 

Summary of Costs

Transportation                     $  40,000

Educational Technology     $  44,000

Security                                 $  12,000

Football Field                          $  23,000

Campus Improvements     $  10,000

Educational Support            $    6,000

                        TOTAL              $135,000

 

But wait, we also need volunteers!                      Click here to see more information about the volunteer initiative.

In addition to securing funds, the leadership of HLHS will increase volunteerism and ownership in Heartland Lutheran through this campaign.  We are searching for 100 people to donate 20 hours per year for three years.  This level of involvement will help to offset many costs associated with the operation and upkeep of HLHS.  Please consider joining one of the many volunteer teams that are being established with this campaign.

 

 

Campaign Goal:
Reduce Mortgage                                    $    650,000.00
Assist school with interest payments                      

                2/3 of interest first year            $    150,000.00

                1/3 of interest 2nd year            $      75,000.00

                 No interest 3rd year                $                  .00

Program Enhancement                            $     135,000.00

Endowment Fund Growth                        $    250,000.00

 

                 TOTAL                                     $  1,260,000.00

 

 

More information coming soon!