As you drive past the corner of Arapahoe and Cherryvale, envision the new Boulder Jewish Community Center.  The parking lot is full. Families are swimming in the pool, toddlers are on the playground, teens are playing gaga, adults are watching a film and seniors are enjoying a lunch and lecture.

In the near future, this new living room for Jewish Boulder, along with dining room, family room, game room and backyard, the Boulder JCC version 2.0, will be a reality.

Be a part of it.  You can tell your children and grandchildren that this fabulous JCC exists because of you,” says Susan Rona, Director of the Cornerstone Campaign.

The Board of Directors of the Boulder JCC is happy to announce that the Cornerstone Campaign has almost $14 million in committed pledges, roughly 70% of the $20 million goal and the largest amount of money raised for a capital project in the history of the Boulder Jewish community. This amount includes 100% participation by the JCC’s Board of Directors, and a number of lead gifts.  The total also reflects the donation of land by the Oreg Foundation (formerly the Weaver Family Foundation), funds for capital construction as well as an endowment to ensure the vitality of the JCC now and in the future.

The next week is critical since the 5C Colorado Child Care Contribution Tax Credit will be suspended in 2011. All donations paid before December 31 are eligible for this tax incentive, which means that the after-tax cost of a $5,000 gift is approximately $1,577.

This is an amazing way to leverage your gift,” Rona says. “The state of Colorado is essentially giving a matching grant to the organization.”

Kellie Zell and Scott Peppet are co-chairs of the capital Cornerstone Campaign, and have been active in every phase of the planning.

This is a transformative time for the organization. The JCC is a community asset that enriches the lives of all who live in the area, whether they are actively involved or not,” said Scott Peppet.  “Quite simply, Boulder deserves a JCC that we can all be proud of.”

The proposed plans are for approximately 40,000 sq. feet of functional space and extensive outdoor areas.  There will be a pool, a full-service day camp, a gym, an expanded early childhood center, classrooms of all kinds, library and gallery space, and a 4,000-square-foot community hall to be used for plays, films, concerts, lectures, and family or community celebrations.

Constructing a new building is part of the Board’s long-range plan to enhance Jewish life in Boulder,” said Adam Sirkus, President of the Boulder JCC Board. “With our new Executive Director, Jonathan Lev, our ultimate goal is to provide the best services possible in an expanded state-of-the-art facility and bring the Boulder JCC to a new level.”

This center of Jewish life will provide services to everyone, from the tiniest newborn to the oldest adults, providing multiple opportunities to connect.  We are creating a vibrant community living room and we hope that everyone will join us in building a true representation of the vitality of Jewish life in Boulder County.

To make a donation today, visit www.boulderjcc.org/donate.  For information on the child-care tax credit, naming opportunities or any other questions regarding the campaign, please contact Susan Rona at 917-693-4315 or Heidi Dormody at 303-570-9585.