Boys & Girls Club $100K donation brings challenge

Doreen McGraw (far right) and Don McGraw (center) help Sierra Ramirez (right) and Bria Schwartz (left) with a coloring project at the Boys and Girls Club. The McGraws have announced a $100,000 donation and fundraising challenge.

by Herald Staff Writer & CHERYL SCHWEIZER
| July 30, 2012 6:05 AM

MOSES LAKE - A local business owner has announced a donation to the Boys and Girls Club building fund and at the same time issued a fundraising challenge.

Don and Doreen McGraw, owners of Columbia Colstor, will match every donation made, dollar for dollar, up to $100,000, beginning Aug. 1.

So the campaign could generate as much as $200,000. "We're hoping this is going to get people's interest," McGraw said. All the money raised will go to the organization's effort to build a new building next to Park Orchard Elementary School.

"We thought it would be a good way to give back to the community," Don McGraw said.

"We're very, very, very excited. It's very generous," said Brant Mayo, Boys and Girls Club director. If the campaign generates the maximum, the organization would be about $250,000 from having enough money to break ground, Mayo said.

P.J. DeBenedetti, chairman of the fundraising campaign, said the committee will sponsor some events to keep people aware of the fundraising effort. So far the committee has been grateful for the response. "The community has been very generous. People have been good."

As far as the organization's administrators are concerned, every dollar counts. "There is no donation that's too small," DeBenedetti said.