The Oishei Foundation, impressed with a community fundraising effort, donated the last $75,000 needed to pay for 60 acres along Mill Road with a sweeping view of treetops on undeveloped farmland near East Aurora.
Next, the Friends of Mill Road committee, which spent the last three years raising the $650,000 purchase price, will start working on building a small parking area so people can pull over and take in the vista without worrying about Mill Road traffic.
“We’re very, very excited. They’re aren’t enough ‘verys,’” said Nancy Smith, executive director of the volunteer group of 36 that made the announcement this afternoon.
During the concentrated fundraising, about 375 people contributed, including an anonymous out-of-towner who wrote a check for $50,000. Yet, the money came slowly. The Friends had to get a fundraising extension from the landowners after failing to have all the money by the time the initial two-year deadline was up. The deadline, for the extended third year on the purchase agreement, was next month.
email: mkearns@buffnews.com
Next, the Friends of Mill Road committee, which spent the last three years raising the $650,000 purchase price, will start working on building a small parking area so people can pull over and take in the vista without worrying about Mill Road traffic.
“We’re very, very excited. They’re aren’t enough ‘verys,’” said Nancy Smith, executive director of the volunteer group of 36 that made the announcement this afternoon.
During the concentrated fundraising, about 375 people contributed, including an anonymous out-of-towner who wrote a check for $50,000. Yet, the money came slowly. The Friends had to get a fundraising extension from the landowners after failing to have all the money by the time the initial two-year deadline was up. The deadline, for the extended third year on the purchase agreement, was next month.
email: mkearns@buffnews.com