Stanton, Iowa: Stanton Friends share new building renderings, floor plans, and its vision to the community on April 14, 2010 in a public meeting. Stanton Iowa will soon have a facility that will give new life to the area and provide benefits for all residents in the community. The 25,350 square foot $ 2.8 million Viking Center will house the Good Shepherd Preschool, Stanton Public Library, wellness center, gymnasium and a storm shelter- which residents feel are the most pressing needs.

The Center will provide a permanent space for the preschool and after school programs. The new facility will provide additional opportunities for students such as the library, activity facilities, shared food program and kitchen area and relieve a number of barriers such as fire code and transportation of students.

The facility will also provide a modern, handicapped accessible location for an expanded library-learning center. With the library located within the center lending itself to be very accessible to the preschool, Stanton Community School District students, and the community, the end result will be an increase in the public library usage and its ability to offer more services to the students and the community.

Having a wellness center for our community will make us happier, healthier and stronger. It will provide just what we need to produce a better quality of life for all ages. A weight room and a walking track will promote a healthier lifestyle for all. The community has one school gymnasium, which is continually booked with elementary, middle school, and high school activities. Even these activities require tight scheduling to accommodate practices, games, musical concerts, plays, community events, etc. Adding a second gymnasium will provide adequate facilities to hold activities such as tournament play and a gym to be used for additional recreation purpose for the community.

A much needed 5,168 sq ft FEMA approved tornado safe room will also be included that will protect 623 residents and students during inclement weather. This along with the peace of mind that when bad weather approaches, our preschool, students, and residents would be sheltered in a very safe place.

Stanton Friends has the culmination of more than two years of intensive planning and community needs assessment. Volunteers have carefully considered multiple sites during their search for the Viking Center. The location site is the property adjacent to the school which is on Elliott Street. In addition to the feasibility study, hiring a grant writer and architect, Stanton Friends researched the experiences of other community centers built in other small communities around Iowa.

We are taking great strides in reaching our $2.8 million capital campaign goal. We have raised over $750,000, and continue to research grant agencies and charitable foundations. A community portion of the capital campaign is truly the piece of this fundraising effort. Reaching our goal, one dollar at a time, we can not emphasize the importance of making a pledge, big or small, to help make this vision a reality. To make a pledge or donation you may download a form from our website www.stantonfriends.org

We encourage you to stay up to date on the progress of the Viking Center and its sprint toward the finish line on this monumental effort. The most current news, fundraising tally, programming, and construction planning is at www.stantonfriends.org. For more information contact us at stantonfriends@myfmtc.com.