Bard College Announces $250,000 Matching Gift to the Tivoli Firehouse Capital Campaign

Bard College is pleased to announce a matching gift of $250,000 to the Tivoli Firehouse Capital Campaign. Bard’s gift will match new donations to the campaign 1 for 1 up to $250,000. The $3 million campaign will fund a much-needed firehouse expansion in Tivoli. 

“It is deeply gratifying to support an organization of such importance to the College and surrounding communities,” said Bard College President Leon Botstein. “We are all in their debt for the service they provide, and encourage others to join us in helping the Tivoli Firehouse meet its campaign goal.”

“On behalf of the Tivoli Firehouse, the Village of Tivoli and all of our volunteers we are incredibly grateful for this transformative gift from Bard College,” said Fire Chief Marc Hildenbrand. “This matching gift will help us to get closer to realizing this essential capital expansion so that we can continue to provide all of these critical fire response and mutual aid services.”

The Tivoli firehouse has supported its community and surrounding residents in fire and safety measures, as well as medical emergency responses and mutual aid, for more than 100 years. Their service area includes Tivoli, large parts of Red Hook, and the Bard College campus, and they provide mutual aid support to Germantown and Clermont, responding to more than 300 emergency responses each year. Tivoli Fire Chief Marc Hildebrand, who also serves as a fire protection systems technician at Bard College, leads more than 50 volunteer firefighters, a number that has more than doubled since the pandemic. 

The need for expanded facilities to accommodate the Tivoli Firehouse has been clear for some time, as membership grew, the company acquired essential new equipment, and updated health and safety requirements for firefighters required more space than the 1985 building could provide. After a fire struck the firehouse in July 2019, the Tivoli Fire Company rebuilt and committed to pursuing a capital campaign to finally enlarge the firehouse. The $3 million Tivoli Firehouse Capital Campaign will fund a 4,000-square-foot expansion to support the department’s fire safety, medical response, and the Red Cross Emergency Shelter. 

The campaign’s goal is to build the majority of support from local, state, and federal partners in government. $1 million will be raised privately from a combination of foundations, corporations, and individual donors. To date, the campaign has received nearly $500,000 that includes this new Bard College matching gift towards the $1 million target of private support. Bard College’s matching $250,000 gift will help raise the remaining funds needed to reach the campaign’s goals. 

Bard College’s matching $250,000 gift will help raise the remaining funds need to reach the campaign’s goals. 

To learn more or to donate, visit: tivolifirehouse.org/capital-campaign
About the Tivoli Company
The Tivoli Fire Company is currently comprised of more than fifty volunteer firefighters who serve an area that includes all of Tivoli, Bard College, and much of the town of Red Hook, as well as providing mutual aid to Germantown and Clermont. In the 102 years since incorporating as a fire company, the Tivoli Fire Company has improved and updated its equipment and facilities, and kept members updated with critical training requirements. The Fire Company takes great pride in its rate of growth and retention of long-serving members. As Northern Dutchess County’s population continues to increase, the Tivoli Fire Company must be able to continue to provide the essential services that these communities depend upon. For more information, visit tivolifirehouse.org.

About Bard College
Founded in 1860, Bard College is a four-year residential college of the liberal arts and sciences located 90 miles north of New York City. With the addition of the Montgomery Place estate, Bard’s campus consists of nearly 1,000 parklike acres in the Hudson River Valley. It offers bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, and bachelor of music degrees, with majors in nearly 40 academic programs; graduate degrees in 11 programs; eight early colleges; and numerous dual-degree programs nationally and internationally. Building on its 161-year history as a competitive and innovative undergraduate institution, Bard College has expanded its mission as a private institution acting in the public interest across the country and around the world to meet broader student needs and increase access to liberal arts education. The undergraduate program at our main campus in upstate New York has a reputation for scholarly excellence, a focus on the arts, and civic engagement. Bard is committed to enriching culture, public life, and democratic discourse by training tomorrow’s thought leaders. For more information about Bard College, visit bard.edu.

This event was last updated on 12-14-2021

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