Capital Campaign General Chairmen Joan B. Johnson Robert Blackwell, Sr. John L. Foster, Jr. Capital Campaign Committee Cal Ashford Michael A. Lewis Dreina Lewis John L. Foster Colleen H. Sullivan Everett Rand Robert Blackwell, Jr. Eric Johnson Dr. Peggy Duke Peggy Brazley Joan B. Johnson Robert Runcie Clark Burrus Pam Johnson Nancy C. McKeever Jacoby Dickens Robert Johnson Bernice Pink Grand Crossing / South Shore Renaissance 2001 Project The New eta Complex After several years of planning, the formal capital campaign committee, under the leadership of Robert Blackwell, Sr., Joan B. Johnson and John L. Foster, was organized in 1998 as a major fundraising initiative for eta's expansion project - Grand Crossing/South Shore Renaissance 2001. The immediate goal of the campaign is $21 million for construction. Another $5 million will eventually be needed for increased operating costs and to add to the endowment. Substantial contributions from former Governor H. Ryan, The State of Illinois-Illinois First Program: member initiative funds from State Legislators--Senators Emil Jones and Barack Obama; and State Representaive Barbar Flynn Currie; Senator Donne Trotter has also been most supportive;Foundations: Chicago Community Trust, Polk Bros., The Field Foundation of Illinois, The Aon Foundation, Corporations Exelon/Com Ed and Peoples Energy along with a host of individuals moved the campaign along during the "silent phase". With the support of Alderman Leslie Hairston, the city of Chicago made a commitment to the project. With the ceremonial ground breaking held on Saturday, September 7, 2002, the public phase of the campaign was formerly launched. If everyone in eta's data base responds to the campaign at a minimum level of $100, the campaign goal will be more than realized. This is a lifetime opportunity for everyone to be involved to insure that eta Creative Arts Foundation will be around for generations to come. When are we going to begin construction? This is the question that has been on everybody's lips and minds over the past year. The eta Development team has been working tenaciously with the Department of Planning and other units in the city to secure approval of our Institutional Planned Development proposal. It has been an intricate process, a great learning experience and one which tests perseverance. As you know, eta Creative Arts Foundation is good at that. Were we not in the Africentric paradigm, we would not still be here, telling our story "in the first voice" - stories which resonate so powerfully for you our audience and other extended members of the eta family. On Thursday, July 15, 2005, the Chicago Plan Commission, unanimously approved our development plan. We are targeting the spring of 2006 to begin construction on the project. That's the good news!!!