Pictured, from left, are Deb Bishop, board chair of Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts; John Elliott, vice-president and trust officer of 1st Source Bank; and Jay Michaels, executive director of Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts.

WARSAW — Wagon Wheel Center For The Arts today announced a leading pledge of $100,000 to its capital campaign from the Esther Pfleiderer Charitable Trust, administered by 1st Source Bank Wealth Advisory Group.

John Elliott, vice-president and trust officer at 1st Source Bank, presented the first payment of a pledge to the board last year and the second $20,000 payment was made Jan. 18. Elliott, trust officer for the Esther Pfleiderer Trust, has been a dedicated steward of its gifts to the Kosciusko community since the Esther Pfleiderer Trust formed in 2003.

“We are excited to support the endeavors of Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts and look forward to the expansion that is planned,” said Elliott.

The $100,000 pledge from the Esther Pfleiderer Trust, combined with more than $300,000 in individual donations and pledges, helped secure a matching grant of $300,000 from the Dekko Foundation. These starting gifts will help cover the first phase of the capital project — purchasing the property and theatre itself. For 64 years, the property at 2515 E. Center St. has been the home of Wagon Wheel Theatre. From humble beginnings in a tent, to the unassuming building today, the Wagon Wheel has brought the halls of Broadway to Warsaw at affordable prices for all families to enjoy. Since becoming a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in 2010, the Wagon Wheel Theatre board has been laying plans to purchase the property and building.

Thanks to the lead donations from Esther Pfleiderer Charitable Trust, the Dekko Foundation, and a handful of individuals, negotiations for the purchase of the property are currently underway. After the property is purchased, and with further lead and individual donors’ pledges, the Wagon Wheel board and staff will begin prioritizing building renovation projects.

“This has been a long and carefully-measured project,” said Wagon Wheel board chair Deb Bishop. “We are grateful for this significant step of progress and we express our deep thanks to 1st Source Bank and the Esther Pfleiderer Trust for their pledge that will help ensure quality theatrical and musical entertainment for the northern lakes community for decades to come.”

Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts looks forward to transforming donations like those from the Esther Pfleiderer Trust and individual supporters into a theatre building that meets the needs of current patrons while also securing the legacy of the Wagon Wheel for future generations.