Auditorium loan paid off

The next time John Kramer and Richard and Carol Atkinson take in an evening of live theater at the Whitefish Middle School auditorium, it will be an entirely new experience.

Their nearly eight-year effort to raise more than $5 million for a renovation of the performance hall has finally come to a successful conclusion.

The Atkinsons and Kramer each put liens on their home or property to back a $3.5 million loan for the renovation project. Recently, two donations came in that officially paid off the loan.

“I haven’t been to a production at the auditorium since the loan was paid off, but it will be a big sigh of relief when I do,” Carol Atkinson said.

The final donations came from Jacob Braig, Whitefish class of 1955, and his brother Bob Braig, Whitefish class of 1958.

One highlight of the fundraising effort was Richard Atkinson’s “Old Man Walking” campaign. Atkinson took to the streets on Sept. 29, 2009, vowing to walk six kilometers (almost four miles) for 151 consecutive days — until his 70th birthday — to help raise the last $700,000 for the Whitefish Performing Arts Center.

He ended up collecting nearly $240,000.

Carol Atkinson said everyone involved with fundraising is pleased to see the effort conclude.

“They know this was a long haul,” Atkinson said. “Everyone is very happy about it.”

Other members of the fundraising team over the past eight years include Bob Chambers, who managed the group’s website, fundraiser David Pickeral and Sandy Loy, the team’s volunteer “CFO.”

“I’ve been raising money in Whitefish for more than 20 years,” Atkinson said. “I’m more proud of this than anything else.”

She said funding the auditorium renovation was a true community effort. More than 900 families and businesses have donated to the project.

Atkinson acknowledged Whitefish Credit Union’s support. The credit union loaned the money and agreed to lower the interest rate four different times as the prime rate dropped. The credit union also made a significant pledge of $30,000.

Atkinson said they never flinched about the decision to put a lien on their home to back the project.

“That’s just what you have to do in a fundraising effort like this,” she said. “Somebody has to step to the plate. I knew we’d pay it off eventually.”

Going forward a fund may be created to help pay for maintenance and upkeep of the auditorium. The newly formed Whitefish Arts Council is also looking at ways to support all of the theaters in the area with upkeep costs.

“You can’t raise money for something like this, then sit back,” Atkinson said.

The performance hall is 16,000 square feet with seating for 490. The renovated theater officially opened in October 2007.