What Is Giving Tuesday?
#GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world. It gives us a chance to give back to the amazing local organizations, amidst the holiday shopping and bustle. This year, #GivingTuesday takes place on November 29th.
The Atascadero Chamber of Commerce has decided to help spotlight the Atascadero Printery Foundation for #GivingTuesday this year to help this incredible organization complete their projects so that they can begin to serve as a community hub for plays, events and more!
The Atascadero Chamber of Commerce’s Lakeside Wine Festival Committee will honor the Atascadero Printery Foundation by matching up to $1,000 through its #GivingTuesday campaign on November 29th.
The Story Of The Atascadero Printery
– Historically –
The Printery building on Olmeda Avenue was the first to be completed by Atascadero’s founder, E.G. Lewis. Lewis was a promoter of many things, from residential development to a number of business projects both in the east and our west in California. He needed a press at his disposal to let his followers know his next scheme. The first publication to come out of the new building was the Atascadero News, which made its debut on January 2, 1916.
Artist Ralph Holmes, who was brought to Atascadero by Lewis to head up the art department, painted the murals on the entrance to the Printery. Although faded, those murals remain there even today. A visiting journalist said of Holmes’ work, “Nowhere in America is there anything more beautiful than the entrance to Atascadero’s Press Building — the entrance where an artist’s power of painting dreams in tuneful color sings its symphonic theme in your heart until you forget the importance of even The Illustrated Review.
The 6.5 San Simeon Earthquake in December, 2003 brought an end to public use of the building. The end walls were weakened and had to be shored up as a safety measure until repairs could be made.
The building was added to the National Registry of Historic Places in 2004.
– Current & Future Goals –
Presently, the structure that housed the karate studio is in poor repair and needs to be removed. The gym has temporary shoring in place and the window frames have been removed for repair and restoration. The Lobby has been cleared of debris and is serving as a staging area for other projects. The surviving murals have been removed and are being safely stored in hopes of repairing and replacing them in the entryway.
In the future, the Kitchen and dining room will be refitted to serve as a lobby and concessions area for the theater as well as a catering kitchen. The Gymnasium will be enlarged to seat around 250 or Dinner Theater for 180. An all new, full fly stage will be constructed to the East where the karate studio now stands. Plus a new floor will complete this Community room to be used for receptions, fundraisers, Senior lunches, BINGO, rehearsal space, and much more!
Restoration efforts at the Atascadero Printery are supported by the Agua Caliente Chapter of Questers International as well as the California State Chapter. They hope to raise funds to restore the entryway and murals, the front door, and the windows throughout the building. The Engraving room will become the box office of the new community theatre.
