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For a few decades
it was not unusual to occasionally hear a Wamego resident comment,
"Someday we should restore The Columbian." Nonetheless,
it was the unexpected event of the owner deciding it was time to sell
the building that caused a few community leaders to launch a project
to restore this venerable landmark.
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Thirteen citizens
formed a corporation to buy the building and determine if restoration
was possible. Was the building sound? Would the community support
it? At what cost? If renovated could the theatre play an important
role in the community? If renovated could it produce sufficient income
to pay for itself? These were the questions that were asked.
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Marketing studies
and a feasibility study were funded by small grants from Kansas Main
Street and the Kansas Arts Commission. Technical assistance by both
of these organizations was key in working through the unfamiliar territory
of program development.
A non-profit organization was formed to own the building, the paintings,
solicit donations and grants for restoration and to oversee the restoration
and future operations. The Internal Revenue Service granted The Columbian
Theatre Foundation 501(c)(3) status as a public non-profit corporation,
making donations to the foundation eligible for tax deduction. One
of the policy decisions made by the founding directors was that the
Foundation would not seek or accept any direct tax dollars in support
of the Foundation activities.
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