The City of Manhattan received a $150,000 donation from the Flint Hills Discovery Center Foundation at the City Commission’s Tuesday meeting. Foundation President Bruce Snead presented the cheque.
Snead says the donation is the final payment of a gift from Marty Vanier and Bob Krause to go toward bond payments on the facility and help pay them off early. Snead also recognized the city’s support for the Center and commended all those who were instrumental toward Downtown Redevelopment.
“Without the vision, planning, fiscal structuring, investments, decisions and perseverance of many people this would not have happened,” says Snead.
He also adds that the Discovery Center was a big part of securing state funding for redevelopment, and that the Foundation has contributed nearly $1.5 million to Manhattan since its creation.
Mayor Mike Dodson accepted the donation and added he appreciates the generosity of the Foundation and the Vanier family.
“We have so many ‘friends of’ organizations, so many foundations that make these kinds of operations viable,” Dodson says. “Contributing their time, contributing their money, and really making Manhattan have things that others ordinarily don’t have.”
