Merced residents lend a hand to downtown clock replacement. How much has been raised?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Fundraiser seeks $77,000 to replace Merced’s broken Bob Hart Square clock.
- Campaign has raised $16,738 so far from T-shirts and United Way donations.
- T-shirt sales raised $1,738; United Way donations contributed $15,000.
Encouraging residents to “be a part of history by investing in our future,” the city of Merced launched in November a fundraiser to “save” the community clock in Bob Hart Square.
The goal is to raise enough money to replace the clock, which has been broken for several years, according to Chris Jensen, Merced’s director of parks and recreation. While the city originally planned to fix the current clock, it was determined to be too expensive because of the extensive repairs and ongoing maintenance required.
The estimated cost to replace the clock is $77,000, and the fundraiser is making progress toward that goal.
So far, the project has raised $16,738, according to the two donation webpages.
Residents have the opportunity to donate in two ways. The first is through the purchase of a T-shirt. Shirts are available in four colors and read “Time Well Spent in Bob Hart Square, Merced CA.” They cost $35, though it’s possible to donate more at the time of purchase. T-shirts come in sizes small through 4XL.
Shirts are available at the following link: https://tinyurl.com/zfv2b83n. Eighty-six shirts have been sold, raising $1,738 in donations. Every dollar raised through T-shirt sales is also being matched by the Central Valley Opportunity Fund, up to $27,000.
Donations of over $1,000 are being collected by United Way of Merced and can be made at www.unitedwaymerced.org/clock-tower. Twenty-five donors who give more than $1,000 also have the opportunity to have their name, the name of their business, or the name of a loved one engraved on the clock’s permanent donor panel.
As of Wednesday, $15,000 has been donated through the United Way website.
