Community Resource Center will open to public in April
Iowa Lt. Governor Chris Cournoyer. (Steve Van Kooten photo)
By Steve Van Kooten
Blustery afternoon winds became a big part of the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Guttenberg’s new Community Resource Center, which took place on Friday, March 14, at 2 p.m.
Jackie Lee, a member of the Guttenberg Economic and Industrial Development Committee (GEIDC), quickly announced that, because of high winds, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds was unable to attend the ceremony; however, Lieutenant Governor Chris Cournoyer managed to appear.
The project received a $2.7 million grant from the state of Iowa.
“Here in the heart of town, the Community Resource Center is about to bring healing, health and hope to the lives of so many. This vision for this institution is a powerful one: to establish a single location capable of housing multiple organizations all devoted to the well-being of individuals and families in the region,” Cournoyer said. “We could not be more proud of the role the state has played.”
Lee said the state’s grant award was “an incredible moment proving that even the state believed in our vision.”
The GEIDC received $150,000 for the center this past year. It received $100,000 for the installation of an elevator from the Upper Mississippi Gaming Corporation, $30,000 from Black Hills Energy and the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque awarded $20,000 to provide area for the Family Resource Center. Additionally, donations came from individuals and local businesses.
“We are not just opening a building. We are opening the doors to opportunity, support and a brighter future for the people of Guttenberg and the surrounding communities of Clayton County, and that is something we should truly celebrate,” UMGC Board President Elizabeth Breitbach said.
The center is set to open early next month and already has three tenants.
“The Community Resource Center will house the Family Resource Center, Unlimited Services and Clayton Ridge School,” Lee said. “Each of these organizations plays a vital role in strengthening our well-being as a community.”
Cournoyer said the first three tenants of the building exemplified the project’s community-focused intent.
The Family Resource Center will reside on the first floor of the center.
Unlimited Services, a social services agency that serves Clayton, Delaware and Dubuque counties, will have offices on the second floor of the center.
The Clayton Ridge School District will house a therapeutic school on the second floor. The school will consist of two programs: one for kindergarten through eighth grade and another for high school-age students.
The program for younger students will extend the district’s special education services, and the high school classroom will assist with credit deficiency, skills development and accessing work-based learning opportunities, according to the school district.
“This project is a testament to what we can accomplish when vision, collaboration and unwavering determination come together,” Lee said.
Amy Vonderhaar, director of human resources and accounting at Unlimited Services; Kari Harbaugh and Tracy Kregel, the Family Resource Center; and Shane Wahls, Clayton Ridge School District superintendent, also appeared at the ceremony.
The ceremony also included a tour of the building and a celebration held at the Guttenberg Brewing Company.
Reporting by Molly Moser contributed to this article.
