Wrangell has a lot of positives.
It’s a caring community that can pull together a potluck and fill the tables to overflow. Residents support each other in times of loss without needing to be asked. People truly believe in helping their neighbors, regardless of their neighbors’ politics.
Fundraisers are a way of life in Wrangell — and a necessity. School sports teams, youth groups, student activities, nonprofit organizations and others are always in need of money, frequently asking businesses to donate goods, services or cash to worthy causes.
And what is more frequent in Wrangell than a fundraising raffle. If the town were to designate an official flower, it could be the colorful raffle ticket. They grow like wildflowers and can be beautiful when you pick a winner.
The town may live for salmon fishing and sunny days, but it survives on fundraising.
However, even in such a caring town, there is a limit to how much money people and businesses can give to community groups, how many raffle tickets they can buy, how many goods and services they can donate for auctions.
And yet it seems the fundraising need is growing. A new group, the Wrangell Athletic Club, is working to raise about $30,000 a year to cover the costs of sending student athletes to state tournaments. The school district cannot afford to pay for travel and is looking to the community to raise the money.
Even the chamber of commerce has stepped up its fundraising to put on the Fourth of July celebration, asking businesses, families and individuals to sponsor events. The chamber years ago could raise enough from selling raffle tickets and pull-tabs to cover expenses, but those days are past. It needs more community donations.
And the borough assembly is discussing whether to continue its annual contributions to the senior center, chamber and radio station. The municipal budget is tight, sales tax revenues have taken a downturn, the list of maintenance work on old facilities is long and costly, and the schools need more money. What the borough doesn’t cover will put more pressure on fundraisers.
Community groups and elected officials should ask if Wrangell is maxing out on what it can raise.
The town needs more new money, not just more donations from a shrinking and older population. New money would mean new customers for businesses, more dollars circulating around town.
Making that happen will not be easy. Residents will need to accept, even encourage, more cruise ships. The borough and private businesses will need to invest in the necessities and amenities to attract tourists, to create new jobs and to bring in new residents to fill the jobs. Just as it did with buying the 6-Mile mill property and selling the former hospital property at a discounted price, the borough will need to take risks and look for a long payback.
Wrangell doesn’t really have a choice. The option is to rely on state and federal grants — and raffle tickets.
- Wrangell Sentinel
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