After a successful fundraising campaign, The J (Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City) recently broke ground on the Merna & Sylvan Siegler Pavilion and Reat’s Place – Corporon Family Amphitheater.
The two spaces will be located adjacent to each other to the north of the Jewish Community Campus building on the exterior of the parking lot.
“We are thrilled to break ground on two wonderful new community spaces,” said Jim Sluyter, president and CEO of The J. “Both Reat’s Place and the Merna & Sylvan Siegler Pavilion will provide opportunities for youth in our programs and in our community to enjoy camaraderie through music and theater and will be used throughout the summer for a variety of day camping activities.”
Construction began earlier this month and is expected to be completed by this summer in anticipation of the 2023 J Summer Day Camp program.
Funds for Reat’s Place – Corporon Family Amphitheater, which will be a 75-seat amphitheater, as well as a new playground for the Child Development Center (CDC) were raised through a campaign this past winter, while funding for the Merna & Sylvan Siegler Pavilion was raised in early 2022. Generous donors raised approximately the $934,000 needed to break ground on the projects.
Leading the funding for Reat’s Place was the Reat’s Rising Stars fund and the Corporon Family, with the vision of creating a haven for youth who, like Reat and his grandfather William Corporon, are passionate about theater. Gathering community to enjoy music, song, dance and prose will bring joy to thousands, and will be a reminder that hate will never win for years to come. Love and kindness overcome, always.
“Theater has been a part of our Corporon family since my parents married in 1964,” said Mindy Corporon, daughter of William Corporon, mother of Reat Underwood, and president and cofounder of SevenDays. SevenDays is a nonprofit organization that aims to overcome hate by promoting kindness and understanding through education and dialogue. SevenDays honors Reat Underwood, William Corporon, and Terri LaManno, whose lives were taken by hate in 2014 outside of Jewish facilities. Kindness is their legacy.
“My parents reinvigorated the Duncan Little Theatre, in Duncan, Oklahoma, and have numerous accolades from over 100 productions,” Corporon said. “Their love of performing was passed to Reat. At four years old, Reat was the youngest member of Seussical the Musical performed by Camellot Academy, which launched his passion for performing. Naming this meaningful amphitheater is part of our journey in offering kindness and confirming that something good stems from the horrendous hate crime that took their lives.”
The stage for Reat’s Place will be named in honor of another lead donor, Harry and Gail Himmelstein.
Named in honor of Merna and Sylvan (z”l) Siegler, the Merna & Sylvan Siegler Pavilion will be complete in time for this year’s J Camp. Merna, a longtime member of The J, and her family established the initial matching donation of $75,000 to build excitement for the campaign.
“Jewish continuity has always been very important for Sylvan and me,” said Merna Siegler. “Our children and grandchildren have benefited from Jewish camps and the JCC’s camps are a perfect way to strengthen the Kansas City Jewish community and build the foundation for our next generation.”
The final piece of the campaign, the CDC’s new playground, is scheduled for completion in time for the 2023-24 school year. US Toy & Frances Wang Gershon Supporting Foundation generously provided a $15,000 matching grant, which was quickly met in the first week of the campaign.