Freeport McMoRan floats marina project $100,000

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BY CHUCK VANDENBERG
PCC EDITOR

FORT MADISON - Fort Madison Mayor Matt Mohrfeld was all smiles Thursday morning as he stood with a check from Freeport McMoRan for $50,000.

Mohrfeld was joined by Climax Molybdenum General Manager Javier Guevara and Community Development Specialist Emily Benjamin at City Hall to present the check for the Fort Madison Marina rehabilitation project.

Mohrfeld said this will be the donation that he highlights when launching a new community capital campaign to bring more funds to bear on the $11 million overall project.

MOHRFELD

"We're right in the middle of a community capital campaign that starts tomorrow. This will be the big contribution that we're gonna hang our hat on because that's geared around industry, business, professionals, and individuals," Mohrfeld said.

"You don't know how much this really helps us because now all of a sudden we get to say someone just set the bar up here at $100,000."

Guevara said Freeport McMoRan is always looking for sustainable community projects that the corporation can help with, and the marina project fits the bill.

"Freeport always looks at supporting communities on sustainable development projects. Revamping the marina is a really good thing for Fort Madison," Guevara said.

"If the city can end up with a modernized marina that will help the city with tourism. Tourism is the smokeless industry, and a sustainable industry, and it's a good thing for the community for a number of reasons."

Guevara is a native of Peru and said tourism is once again rebounding after the pandemic in his home country. He said he will be getting a chance to revisit his home after nearly two years being unable to travel.

"I come from a country (Peru) where tourism is getting big and it's very important for our people, he said. "We hope we are helping you guys collect the amount of money the project requires and we're happy to be providing that help."

The donation was a $50,000 donation this year, and Benjamin said there are plans to follow that up with a $50,000 donation in 2022.

Benjamin said the Freeport McMoRan Foundation is providing the funding in two parts.

"This comes from our community investment fund, the Freeport McMoRan Foundation, and we've committed to $50,000 in 2021, and $50,000 in 2022," she said.

"We definitely see the marina as something that's going to draw people into town and make our recruitment and retention efforts more fun and enjoyable if we can take them out to eat on a nice restaurant on the river.

"We're very excited to see what you can accomplish and happy to be partners."

business news, Climax Molybdenum, donation, fort madison, Freeport McMoRan, marina, Matt Mohrfeld, news, progress, support

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