Laramie 150th Anniversary Committee Kicks Off Anniversary Fundraiser

Laramie’s 150^th anniversary committee is busy planning for the year-long celebration of Laramie set to kick off in May and they are looking for some assistance from the community to help fund the festivities.

Trey Sherwood, Laramie Main Street Alliance executive director, said the committee, comprised of community members from the non-profit sectors, community development and the City of Laramie have been meeting to plan Laramie’s 150^th anniversary bash.

Sherwood said the celebration would kick off on May 4 through May 7 and continue throughout the year. As part of the anniversary celebrations, the committee is planning on having free public events at all the local museums and new exhibits and activities meant to celebrate, educate and entertain.

“They are meant to be very accessible to the community, educational, fun, and as a way to say –where were we over the last 150 years and where are we going,” Sherwood said.

To accomplish this goal and to provide these events to the community, the committee set a fundraising goal of $30,000 for this fiscal year. Sherwood said that while the committee has had great support from local businesses, they wanted to give the public the opportunity to help fundraise for the anniversary.

The committee is inviting 150 people to donate $150 dollars to the 150^th anniversary committee.

“That is the challenge, to ask 150 of our community members to give $150 in honor of Laramie’s anniversary,” Sherwood said.

Sherwood said contributions can be made online at visitlaramie.org/laramie150. Sherwood said checks can also be dropped off at First Interstate Bank or mailed to the Albany County Tourism Board at 210 E. Custer Street in Laramie.

Donors who want to donate on behalf of a business and want sponsorship recognition should get their donations in during April, so the committee has time to get the business logo on their marketing materials before the May 4 kickoff event.   Sherwood said that private citizens who may not be as concerned with donor recognition can donate anytime throughout the year.

Sherwood said she encourages anyone who can to donate.

“I myself have donated, when you are going out and asking for money for something you believe in you put your money where your mouth is,” she said. “As a community member and as a historian, I wanted to donate because I think it is important for us to celebrate milestones and to really understand again where we came from as a community and what our foundation is and how that influences the future for the next generation.”

Sherwood said the details of the kickoff event from May 4 to May 7 can be found on the Visit Laramie website.