NICER hits crowdfunding goal for garden fundraiser

By RICHARD JENKINS

rjenkins@yourdailyglobe.com

MONTREAL, Wis. — Northern Iron County Engaged Residents successfully completed its online crowdfunding fundraiser last week as the local group continues to raise money to develop a community garden in the city of Montreal.

“I was pleasantly surprised by the support we received from everybody,” said Kari Klemme, NICER secretary and garden committee chairwoman.

She said the online campaign on seedmoney.org — a non-profit focused on supporting public food garden projects — raised roughly $3,850, which exceeded the campaign’s initial goal of $3,000.

“So we exceeded that goal,” Klemme said. “But then we also had a bunch of donors mail checks … overall, it was around $8,000.”

She later clarified the total fundraising effort gathered $8,050.

“Donations came from so many different areas — it came from local businesses, it came from local residents, it came from residents outside the area — it was really far-reaching, which is really exciting,” Klemme said.

Along with the money raised during the campaign, the host site provided an additional $500 for goals NICER met during its crowdfunding effort.

The garden effort has also received grants from various local organizations and non-profits.

Klemme said NICER is planning to break ground on the garden this spring.

“I’m thinking around probably Earth Day … that’s the plan,” she said. “Obviously Mother Nature has something to say about that too, but that’s the goal.”

Although work on the garden is hopefully starting this spring, Klemme said the group plans to continue to pursue grants and raise money through a spring plant sale to raise an additional $5,000 towards the effort.

All the money raised will be used to purchase a variety of things for the garden, according to Klemme — including a fence around the garden, raised beds, a storage shed, garden equipment and some trees and other landscaping around the garden.