Crossings Center Generations! Campaign

Circa 1969

A MESSAGE FROM OUR FOUNDERS “

whatmakesthisplacesouniqueandspecialisthepeople

Joel Hennessy, Co-Founder/President

Dear Friends,

Vision & Mission

1. To provide a safe, fun and supervised place for youth,

2. To provide quality family programs, entertainment and learning opportunities that equip them with the tools necessary to face today’s exciting opportunities with good judgment,

3. To revitalize and enliven a rural community and region!

When Christian Crossings started singing together in 2004, we never imagined a passion to share the gift of music would make such a difference! What began as a desire to bring joy to others has evolved into something much larger… The Crossings Center. This “place” has become not just a venue for gatherings and experiences, but a place of natural beauty, wellness, hope, learning and transformation!

With the help of hundreds of volunteers of every age and the support of a broad circle of friends, an old and dilapidated farmstead lost in the center of a small rural community has transformed into a vibrant center of activity and a catalyst ready to continue transforming lives into the future. While the opportunities seem endless, challenges stand in the way.

Growth and further expansion of the Crossings Center is stalled by its current core infrastructure (water, sewer, power, access) which prevents modernizing and adding critical amenities, safety systems, and universal accessibility features necessary to meet health, building and safety codes. To date, we’ve only been able to utilize exterior open spaces for public gatherings. To become a year-round and full-time facility utilizing all of our buildings and interior spaces, we need to construct new infrastructure and then upgrade our buildings with the most current health and safety features as well as making them universally accessible to every person who desires to use them.

To address these challenges, The Crossings Center is moving forward with the Generations! fundraising campaign. For all of us, it will mean continued enjoyment of the beautiful outdoor amenities with the addition of year-round public access and use of the historic Gremelsbach barn as a vibrant center of life events!

We also recognize the opportunity to offer needed family and community wellness initiatives. To address these needs, we will renovate and upgrade an existing building into a fitness and wellness center that along with our greenhouse, vineyard, orchard, and fruit park will offer ways to live a healthier, happier and more purposeful life! In addition, new programs and initiatives will challenge the intellect, spark creativity and provide exciting opportunities for young and older people alike!

Finally, the opportunity to recapture, preserve and celebrate our heritage and history has been presented to us in the form of a historic brick schoolhouse which has been relocated to our property to serve as the anchor of a new history center for our area. Remembering our past, honoring all our heroes...learning from successes, and mistakes...it’s the secret to building a better future!

We are now asking for your support of this historic campaign, be it through a gift of prayer, time, talent or treasure. Your generosity and sacrifice will provide new and exciting opportunities for youth, families, and community today and for generations to come! Together, we dedicate ourselves to our past, present and future as we seek common good for all!

Sincerely Yours,

Joel Hennessy

Bill Lanik

Brian Prudoehl Co-founders of The Crossings Center

OUR PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

“

Ourpastisrichinhistory,ourpresentheretoshine, andthefutureourstoshape.

Christian Crossings, Inc. / The Crossings Center (Crossings) is a non-profit charitable corporation originally established to enliven the spirit through music, words, and actions; especially focused on empowering and enabling families and youth to greater levels of community service and involvement.

Through partnerships with schools, churches, youth groups, other non-profit entities, service organizations and businesses, Crossings motivates participants to respond to the call of the Great Commandments to “Love the Lord your God with all you heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength [and] love your neighbor as yourself.” Mark 12:30-31

Christian Crossings, Inc. was established in Lewiston, Minnesota in 2004 by Joel Hennessy, Bill Lanik, Brian Prudoehl and a committed Board of Directors. Crossings increasingly expanded its purpose and reach across Southeast Minnesota. The corporation was originally formed to facilitate charitable fundraising to assist area youth groups and individuals in the pursuit of spreading the Gospel message and mission ministry. The organization is not a church or religious entity and does not discriminate on any such basis. It exists to do good, inspire goodness and lead the way to living a happy, healthy and fulfilling life.

Over the years, Crossings has assisted in raising tens of thousands of dollars for local youth groups, scholarships, grants and other charitable efforts. After ten years and hundreds of concerts, appearances, television and radio appearances and three cd recordings, Crossings retired its music ministry to focus on developing The Crossings Center as a new way to serve youth, families and community.

While still committed to its original mission, Crossings has taken a more active approach to assisting youth and families. By drawing upon its supporters, a larger knowledge base and a growing pool-of-talent from the region, Crossings embarked on creating a place to call home that would also offer the community and region much needed amenities.

In the fall of 2007, Crossings purchased real estate and buildings in the first step towards establishing a regional family and youth event center which would serve as a hub for its programs and services while at the same time providing revitalization to its community and region.

The Crossings Center has continually served as host to regular youth and family events focused on the arts -- it began with a major music festival called CrossFest (20082011) and has expanded to an annual community festival, family gatherings, weddings, graduations, and other unique regional events. The facility is home to local scout groups and other community groups use the facility for meetings and outings. The Lewiston Altura Elementary Cardinal Club program (located across the street) uses the Center for its

summer activity days for hands-on learning and exploration.

The weekly Lewiston Area Farmer’s Market & Family Night Out has become one of the region’s “mustgo-to” summer destination events. Hundreds of people from throughout the region gather on Wednesday nights to access local fresh produce, bakery, meat, and craft vendors while enjoying free ‘live’ entertainment, family activities, the Crossings Center’s famous wood-fired pizza, and local craft beer, wine and spirits.

Community vegetable garden plots are offered to the public and a multi-acre hands-on working vineyard, orchard, berry patch and sweet corn field provide a cornucopia of summer and fall treasure. A large greenhouse serves as an anchor for learning, exploration and transformation towards healthy nutrition and understanding of body’s nutritional needs. A strong mind requires a healthy diet and active lifestyle.

A Veteran’s Memorial was built with the help and guidance of American Legion Post 90, local businesses and local service organizations. The project was dedicated on Veteran’s Day 2015. The Crossings Center Memorial Park has grown into a multi-acre park designed to honor our military and uniformed servicemembers both past and present. It also gives tribute to emergency services volunteers and volunteerism in general.

The Memorial Park will soon become a hub for preserving local history, heritage, and tradition with the addition of the Lewiston Area History Center. As part of the Generations! capital project, a historic brick schoolhouse is being relocated to the park as the center of its newest attraction with a dedicated memorial honoring great thinkers, educators and esteemed alumni. Remembering the past, learning from it and building upon it is the surest way to progress and innovation.

The old historic Gremelsbach barn will continue its transformation from a dairy barn to a year-round event center complete with space for large gatherings, small/medium group meetings, a commercial kitchen, and restroom facilities all with universal access!

The current Event Center will transform into a fullservice Wellness Center complete with a 24/7 fitness center, a Cognitive Health Center, and community “Makerspace” to explore creativity and inspire great minds!

Today, The Crossings Center embarks on a new journey to provide an even greater offering of healthy, safe, community-oriented amenities to make Lewiston and southeast Minnesota an even better place to call home for generations to come!

CHALLENGE:

historic gremelsbach barn “

Thehistory,legacyand“bones”ofthisfarmsteadarestrong…

Father and son, Emil and Eldon Gremelsbach played a significant role in the development of the region. They were ambitious businessmen, entrepeneurs and philanthropists. Combined, they served as mayor of Lewiston for over thirty years. Emil, as an immigrant from Germany came to the U.S. in 1895 at the age of 16. He graduated high school and became a rural teacher. He moved on and pursued many endeavors which included a successful livestock business operated with his son Eldon from the very buildings the Crossings Center calls home. Without heirs to carry on their legacy, the memory of their contributions to the world are rapidly fading. The Crossings Center seeks to preserve and highlight their legacy as a shining example of the American Spirit by restoring this historic barn and farmstead where once upon a time more than eight-hundred cattle left here and were sent down the mighty Mississippi and across the ocean to play an important role in re-populating the cattle herd in Europe following World War II.

Preserving history, learning from it, and shining light on past generations to inspire the current and future generations is an important role The Crossings Center feels called to serve. The history, legacy and “bones” of this farmstead are strong and like the Gremelsbach family legacy deserves to be preserved, restored, and re-purposed for use now and for generations to come. The E.E. Gremelsbach barn when fully restored will boast over 10,000 square feet of space to serve as a hub for activity, learning, entertainment, and community-development. This facility doesn’t just serve Lewiston and surrounding communities but the entire region.

What are some of the specific needs to restore the buildings?

After a thorough architectural study, which included an extensive assessment and inspection by engineers, the following were identified as the needs that will preserve the historic structure and enable the Crossings Center to create a new functional purpose to serve the region for generations to come:

• Renovate the exterior and interior including new roofing, siding, windows, doors, thermal barrier, and interior finishes.

• HVAC System: A high efficiency system to provide a comfortable and healthy environment.

• Electrical wiring of the building to meet commercial code and expand to new service areas.

• Restrooms to service the interior and outdoor activity areas.

• A.D.A. Universal barrier-free accessibility including a “lift” to upper-level multi-purpose event center.

• Commerical kitchen, cafe and gathering/meeting spaces.

• Furnishings and equipment to equip the facility for full-time and multi-purpose use.

• Rebuild adjacent Pavilion adjacent to barn and adjoing playground

CHALLENGE: CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE

What are the challenges and needs of the critical infrastructure?

When the farm was originally built, modern city water and sewer were not in existence. Wells and septic systems did the job. A lot was different, including building and safety codes and regulations. Today, we take for granted the basic infrasttructure which provides the utmost health, safety and accessibility for visitors and staff. As the Crossings Center continuues growing as a robust public amenity, this concern dictates any expansion and must be addressed and met to ensure the utmost safety, accessibility and convenience to our visitors and staff.

Due to the demands and nature of operations, “mains” are necessary to service the building(s). This will allow the construction of desperately needed restrooms, a commercial kitchen facility and the addition of fire sprinkler systems and outdoor hydrants for fire protection. These upgrades will position the Crossings Center for current and future expansion plans that

will make it a year-round facility and provide a self-supporting revenue stream to ensure it remains a vibrant part of the region for generations to come!

• No plumbing or sanitary sewer system necessitates use of expensive portable toilets and burdensome and expensive disposal of kitchen waste water.

• Inadequate water supply to provide fire protection, restrooms, kitchen and irrigation systems. A one-inch water line is all that services the entire property.

• Electrical power supply is inadequate for current and future operations.

• Natural gas to efficiently fuel HVAC system is only available to the barn.

• Gravel covered driveway and parking areas create safety concerns and extensive maintenance.

CROSSINGS CENTER

SOLUTION:

Modernize and update the historic barn and adjoining lean-to structure and pavilion, making them energy-efficient and “barrierfree accessible” for all visitors and staff. Construct new space for restrooms, stairs, elevator, and for storage/mechanical. Install a fire-suppression sprinkler system and other life-saving safety devices. Replace existing heating and cooling system and add fresh air ventilation to create a dramatically more efficient and effective heating, cooling and air movement system for healthier and more comfortable use. Add plumbing and electrical to meet building code requirments. Add a commercial kitchen and dining/ lounge areas to lower-level to use for daily operations, healthy cooking education, event catering and revenue opportunities. Improve building security and information technology so that the multi-use community facility is ready for any occassion now and in the future.

GOAL: $ 1,200,000

SOLUTION:

Buid and install a 1,000 foot 6” water main and an 8” sanitary sewer main with required service manholes and strategically placed curb-stops for water and sewer for future expansion and flexibility of use. Install exterior fire hydrants for fire protection. Upgrade and bury main electrical service to provide for current and future electrical needs. Expand natural gas main line to Wellness Center and greenhouse to increase efficiency and lower costs of HVAC. Install impervious surfaces to the driveway and parking areas to provide a safe, barrier-free, clean, dustfree and aestetically pleasing environment.

GOAL: $550,000

CHALLENGE: community wellness

...inasmallruralarea,adequateamenitiesarejustnot “

“Heart, mind, soul and strength”...wellness is a lifelong journey! How we live, eat, move and learn directly affects every aspect of our lives. From the way feel, sleep, act and treat others...to our ability to manage time, give of ourselves and to address the opportunities and challenges life presents. The healthier we are, the happier and more effective we will be! Healthy living habits, our wellness, needs to develop when we are young and tools to foster them need to be available throughout every stage of life.

Heart disease, stroke, cancer and obesity top the threats to our health. Rising in urgency are threats to a healthy mind according to the National Institues of Health. Dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease and other mental health conditions are exploding worldwide. A recent study in “Lancet Public Health” predicts that dementia cases to triple worldwide by 2050. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, today, about 1 in 9 (10.8%) of people over the age of 65 have Alzheimer’s. It is the public health crisis of our time!

Good news! There are many ways to combat and prevent these threats! A thoughtful and deliberate plan for healthy living is the answer!

Unfortunately, health, fitness, and wellness are often sacrificed in our busy lives. Sometimes, that sacrifice happens as life’s priorities are rearranged, but in a small rural community, adequate amenities are just not easily and readily accessible! Driving 20+ minutes to/from the gym or fitting “open hours” into a hectic schedule is nearly impossible. With the creation of the Center for Fitness, Wellness & Cognitive Health at The Crossings Center (The Wellness Center), the barriers that prevent so many people from accessing desperately needed facilities and programs will be removed.

In addition to traditional fitness and wellness services, the Wellness Center will be a critical resource for cognitive health in a rural area that lacks easily accessible resources for early detection and prevention of cognitive dysfunction.

Through partnerships with local universities, medical institutions, and other non-profit organizations we will

provide cognitive testing and triage services. Treatments, such as Light Therapy, Cold Plunge and Sauna Therapy are proven to have promising positive effects on mind health, reduction of inflammatory conditions, skin health and overall wellbeing. All of these resources will be available at the Wellness Center.

Social interaction and fellowship is widely known as one of the best methods of curing and preventing many ills. Not only will The Wellness Center offer a comprehensive set of services aimed at fitness and wellness, it will also offer handson opportunities to not only learn how to grow your own healthy food but also grow it in the community gardens -- complete with access to the orchard, vineyard, berry patches and numerous perennial flower beds. Raised gardens and universal A.D.A. access will allow everyone to participate! But, it doesn’t stop there...once grown, classes will be offered on healthy cooking methods and in canning/preserving the cornucopia of fruit and veggies grown with your own hands.

Mentorship, friendship and encouragement will be the fruits of the older generations passing on wisdom, knowledge and practical life hacks to the younger generations.

The Discovery Center makerspace will be a fun and creative space for multi-generational learning in the critical educational disciplines of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM)!

Future leaders, young adults and teens, will explore careers in the buinessworld via the Young Entrepeneur’s Society! (YES!) Participants will gain hands-on experience in takng their ideas from dream-stage to reality!

noteasilyandreadilyaccessible!

So, what are the specific problems?

After studying existing facilities, amenities and programs reasonably accessible to people in this region, the following was discovered:

• A shortage/lack of wellness and fitness facilities within a twenty mile radius complicates access to equipment and services necessary for personal wellness and fitness plans.

• Hard to access programs and services such as nutrition, fitness, a cognitive health assessment make it difficult to know where to start on the road toward a healthier lifestyle.

• Lack of safe walking trail off busy public streets makes walking and jogging a perilous exercise option.

• A healthy diet is expensive. Purchasing fresh and healthy food in the grocery store is expensive and the art of gardening has been lost to many in the younger generations and is more difficult for those in the elder generations.

• Creativity, exploration, and quality play-time has fallen victim to screen-time. Accessible programs and activities do not exist outside school.

SOLUTION:

Transform and expand an existing structure into a Wellness Center that will encourage and provide access to healtier living for the entire family. A fully-equipped 24/7 commercial fitness and wellness facility will be established for easy and convenient access when it fits busy lifestyles best. While parents train in a state-of-the-art fitness and wellness facility, children can immerse themselves in the “Discovery Center Makerspace,” where they can explore and ignite creativity and knowledge through STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) hands-on learning. Or, they can find healthy play-time on the playground or sports court located within eyesight of the Center. Teens, training for sports or simply keeping fit, will have access to a facilitiy and full-range of equipment that is not available at school. Young adults and senior adults will find resources to help develop healthier habits for optimal fitness, nutrition and wellness.

Integrate this new community amenity into an already well-rounded facility featuring a Memorial Park, History Center, Community Event Center, playground, and expansive gardens... make it affordable and accessible to all via a unique one-ofa-kind program promoting volunteerism...and begin seeing the effects of a vibrant, healthy and involved community!

GOAL: $750,000

CHALLENGE: memorial park & history center

“

Preservinghistory,learningfromit,andshininglighton pastgenerationstoinspirethecurrentandfuturegenerations.

The Crossings Memorial Park, Veteran’s Memorial & Lewiston Area History Center is a unique way to honor and pay homage to those who have gone before us with a passion to better mankind, this great country we live in, and the world!

From the beginning of time a relentless battle between good and evil has plagued our existence. Horrendous wars, acts of violence, oppression of peoples, and the murder of innocence has left us in what seems to be an ever-repeating cycle of violence. Add to that calamitous natural and manmade disasters and everyday tragic accidents and we can be left feeling helpless.

Fortunately, throughout it all valiant men, women, and even children have put their lives on the line in defense of goodness, righteousness, liberty and life. Their selfless acts of giving throughout history gives us hope, inspiration and purpose!

The purpose, mission and vision of the Crossings Center is to shine a light on all good things. Remembering our soldiers,

What are the specific problems?

our emergency services personnel, public servants, volunteers/ philanthropists, educators and every person willing to lay their life down for another is important. We endeavor to create a place to do just that.

“Lest we forget” is a phrase often associated with war memorials and ceremonies to remember the sacrifices made by some many. It is often credited to the 1897 poem Recessional by Rudyard Kipling, it most likely came as a reference to the Biblical Book of Deuteronomy 4:7-9.

We should never forget the good, the bad, who we are, where we’ve been and how we got here and, most importantly, our loving Creator, God. Knowing who we are as individuals, as communities and as a nation gives great leverage and courage to live our lives more boldly each day. Learning from the past is the key to not repeating mistakes and key to accentuating our strengths.

Having a sense of who you are is an important part of one’s overall wellness.

What is the need or lack of amenties that is causing this challenge to the area?

• Veterans Memorial Park needs improvements to honor all who have served from our area. Built originally from the inspiration and efforts of two Eagle Scouts, there is much more opportunity to expand the memorial and include everyone. Better and safer access and walkways are needed. Additional monuments and tributes to American heros, patriots and our great nation are needed.

• Memorial Park’s 1,000ft walkway is not ADA compliant, it is not friendly to wheelchairs and other assistive walking devices. The donated concrete pavers which make up the walkway have served their purpose and are now a hazard to those with mobility impairment.

• Our local history is being lost due to a coordinated lack of effort to preserve it. We are fortunate to have a county historical society that does a tremendous job. But, in small rural areas the past is being forgotten as people pass-away or move from the area. The Gremelsbach family is a prime example of what can happen. Often times the rich history of their ancestry which is stored in their hearts and minds leaves with them as well.

• A central hub or attraction is not available to draw visitors to the site and serve as a display space for historical artifacts.

• Additional room is needed to grow and expand historical monuments and points of interest.

• Needed technology and equipment to preserve and display the historical information is expensive and complicated.

Memorial Park -- Renovate existing Veteran’s Memorial and add additional walkways around the memorial with new monuments and features highlighting American heroes, patriots and significant events in American history. Remove brick walkways and replace with concrete. Add additional flagpoles. Construct a reflection pond to complement natural beauty of the memorial and also serve as a rainwater collection basin for irrigating the expansive flower beds around the park.

History Center -- Relocate and renovate a historic, brick, one-room schoolhouse to preserve a historic building and a special time in history. The building will serve as a reminder of the roots of our educational system and pay tribute to educators, great thinkers, mentors and notable alumni of our local schools. It will also serve as a welcome center and focal point for Memorial Park in addition to being home for the new Lewiston Area Historical Society. Interactive technology and digital devices will showcase area history. A new history walk spanning an additional 1,000 feet through the middle of the 18 acre park will be added.

SOLUTION: GOAL: $500,000

EmilGremelsbach

campaign goals

The Crossings Center will fund these important projects as follows:

How will the progress of this campaign be communicated to me?

&question answer

Frequent updates will be provided via email, announcements at events, through social media and on the website located at http://www. crossingscenter.com. If you would like to receive periodic updates via email, please visit the campaign website and provide your email address.

Will my charitable gift be tax deductible?

Yes. Christian Crossings, Inc. dba The Crossings Center is set up as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Therefore, all gifts are deductible to the fullest extent of the law. If you make a gift to the campaign, the Crossings Center will send an endof-year statement to you for tax purposes. Specific questions regarding tax deductibility should be directed to your tax advisor.

Is my pledge legally binding? Will it be confidential?

A pledge is not legally binding; it is simply your best faith intentions. A pledge is a gift, one you consider to be meaningful to you. All we ask is that you do your best and advise us of any financial changes that will impact your pledge. All pledges will be kept as confidential as possible. Only the people responsible for maintaining the records will have access to your pledge amount.

Can I specifcally designate my gift?

Yes. On your pledge card, you will be given two

options. First is to allow your gift to be designated to the specific campaign goals in most need of funding. However, if you prefer that your support go to a specific goal, you will have the opportunity to choose a second option and assign percentages of your gift to the project that you desire to support.

How do I know an investment in this campaign will be used specifically for these goals?

The Crossings Center is an independent corporation with a Board of Directors responsible for stewarding any gifts made to the campaign and strictly abiding by the intentions of the donor. Directors provide oversight for all aspects of the campaign, including collection and distribution of the funds as designated by each donor via the campaign pledge card. All gifts to the campaign will be used solely for the restricted purposes of the campaign and for no other purposes. The restricted purposes have been detailed in this case statement.

What happens if the campaign raises more than $3,250,000 Goal?

What a wonderful problem to have! If we are so blessed by supporters that the result exceeds our goals, the excess funds will solely be used for furthering the goals of the campaign. The most likely and planned outcomes are to further expand the trail system, history center and wellness/fitness amenities.

methods of giving

There are many ways of giving that will ensure you are able to support the campaign in a meaningful and sacri#cial way. Pledges are commitments made in good faith, but are not legally binding. This commitment can be fulfilled through monthly, quarterly, semiannual or annual installments over three-years. We encourage all donors to consider a 10-20 percent initial payment to begin your commitment.

Cash

The most common method of making a gift is to contribute cash. You may benefit from such gifts with a charitable deduction on your tax return.

Securities

Stocks, bonds, or mutual fund shares that have appreciated can have an immediate impact on our campaign and also create an income tax deduction for you based on their current value. Because there is no capital gains tax when you make a charitable gift, you receive an additional tax bene#t above and beyond the charitable gift donation.

Life Insurance

You may donate to the campaign by making the Crossings Center the owner and beneficiary of your insurance policy.

Commodities

Unlike cash, commodity contributions (such as donations of corn or grain) can save income and self-employment taxes. The cost of raising the commodities is deducted on the Schedule F form, and there is no income recognized on the donated commodity.

Planned Gifts

Planned giving is the process of carefully selecting the best method and asset for making a charitable gift. Such a gift can enable you to take full advantage of the tax laws to accomplish your financial and charitable goals. Planned gifts can be made in the following ways: