Cody Matthewson, AC/GC activities director, and Mike Underwood, president and chief executive officer, Guthrie County State Bank, with a symbolic big check for $25,000 which is the matching donation for the $25,000 raised from August to November by the community.
Guthrie County State Bank (GCSB) issued a challenge to the community in August 2020 to close the fundraising goal for the AC/GC Fitness Center: You donate $25,000 and GCSB will contribute a matching $25,000 to reach the $160,000 goal. Not only did the community meet the challenge by November, the goal was exceeded by almost $20,000, raising a total of $178,000.
AC/GC Community Schools opened the doors of the new fitness center to students in late February. If the final construction details and inspections are obtained, the center will open to the community in early April. While the school district financed the construction of the building, the activities department was tasked with raising the $160,000 needed to equip the building with weights, machines, turf, and workout equipment.
“Our $50,000 matching challenge had the intended effect – to motivate alumni, friends and neighbors to invest in this community asset,” said Mike Underwood, president and CEO of Guthrie County State Bank. “In small communities, economic vitality requires vision, partnerships, and hustle, and the AC/GC Fitness Center is a prime example of how those elements all come into play. We’re proud to be a part of the effort and excited to see the results of this investment for years to come.”
AC/GC Activities Director and Coach Cody Matthewson spearheaded the fundraising effort and welcomed students to the new facility for workouts in late February. On average more than 100 students are participating in workouts daily and the facility will soon open to the public.
“I knew we would have great participation because that’s the mindset of our students, but to have more than 50% of our enrollment showing up daily is outstanding,” said Matthewson. “In addition, we exceeded our fundraising goal by 11%. Soon, our entire community will have the opportunity to invest in their health and fitness and engage in a new way with the school district.”
The AC/GC Fitness Center is expected to open to the public in early April. Family memberships are $100 per year or $10 per month. Student memberships are $60 per year or $5 per month. There is a $20 deposit for the key fob, which permits access to the facility. All membership fees are reinvested into the facility for maintenance and upgrades. Membership applications can be filled out by using the following link:
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