STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

An anonymous donor has come forward with a new challenge grant to seal the campaign to buy Warm Springs Preserve.

The donor will contribute $500,000 to the campaign if the community can raise $665,000 more.

The community has until April 2022 to raise the money to purchase 65 acres of the Warm Springs Ranch property. To date, 731 donors have made gifts and pledges totaling $7,834,500.

That puts the city $1.165 million away from the full $9 million campaign goal, which includes $8 million for the purchase of the property and $1 million for a new irrigation system and other site improvements, such as restrooms and creek and habitat restoration.

The property will be kept as open space in perpetuity for the community to walk, ski, snowshoe, bird watch. walk dogs and hold informal gatherings if the money is raised.

“The residents and visitors of this valley have gone above and beyond in their generosity toward this project,” said Mayor Neil Bradshaw. “We hit a $1 million end-of-the-year challenge. I hope the momentum continues so that we can match this new significant fundraising opportunity.”

The campaign has had a couple challenge grants already. Even the property owner lowered his initial sales price by $1 million after residents met one incentive, reducing the total fundraising goal to $9 million instead of $10 million.

To learn more, visit www.warmspringspreserve.org