COVID-19 pandemic puts future of old Millstadt water tower in jeopardy
Among the many other victims of the COVID-19 pandemic could be the old Millstadt water tower.
The Friends of the Old Millstadt Water Tower were chugging along, averaging about $40,000 a year on their way to their five-year goal of $200,000 to save the landmark, said Betty Keller Timmer, president of the group. Then everything crashed.
“We had to cancel our annual trivia night at 11 a.m. on the morning of the event,” she said.
Things got worse.
“We had rescheduled the half-marathon/5K races to September but then the timing company recommended we cancel for 2020,” she said. “We had hoped to host our annual car show in September, but we decided that with the number of positive cases continuing to increase, we’d be better off not planning for a 2020 show at all.”
It hurt to lose those big money makers. But still some money has come in.
“Since the trivia we have raised $7,000,” Keller Timmer said. “We have gotten some sizable donations and a few smaller ones. We have around $147,000 now. We’ve been fortunate.”
But the deadline looms. The Millstadt Village Board was considering demolishing the old water tower but a group of people formed the Friends and asked for time to save it. They have until January of 2021 unless something changes.
Keller Timmer said they are keeping the effort going through a variety of methods. One of the members has extra garden produce and has been selling it at the Millstadt Farmers Market from 3-6 p.m. Fridays through this month. They also have water tower merchandise on sale at their booth.
The Millstadt IGA has a collection box for used inkjet cartridges which the Friends redeem. The group is registered with Amazon Smile, as a charity to be supported by a percentage of purchases from the marketing giant.
The Friends is a 501(c)3 charity so donations are tax deductible. You can send contributions to the Friends at P.O. Box 335, Millstadt, IL, 62260. Or you can go to the Friends website at millstadtwatertower.org to donate online.
The remaining challenge is formidable, but Keller Timmer said the group remains upbeat.
“If we continue to work together we will succeed in getting the Tin Man restored,” she said. “He has been keeping watch over Millstadt for almost 90 years and we want to make sure he continues for at least 90 more”
This story was originally published September 5, 2020 at 9:00 AM.
