Centrum Letter of Interest to Washington State Parks

[The following letter was submitted to Washington State Parks on January 9, 2009 to develop a public-private partnership with the agency. Submitted after a multi-year public planning process, this letter articulates Centrum's interest in ultimately managing aspects of the Life-Long Learning Center envisioned for Fort Worden.]

January 9, 2009

Kate Burke
Fort Worden Area Parks Manager
200 Battery Way
Port Townsend, WA 98368

Dear Kate:

We submit this Letter of Interest in response to your agency’s effort to identify a non-profit organization excited about and capable of “developing a long-term relationship with the agency and ultimately managing aspects of the life-long learning center envisioned for Fort Worden State Park.”

A Partnership of Purpose
How the non-profit demonstrates its ability to adapt to and align with the vision, mission, and values as adopted for Fort Worden State Park.

In September, 2004, the Centrum Board of Directors adopted a Plan for Growth guided by the following mission, vision, and values statements:

Mission
Centrum is a gathering place for artists and creative thinkers from around the world, students of all ages and backgrounds, and audiences seeking extraordinary cultural enrichment. Centrum promotes creative experiences that change lives.

Vision
Centrum is a lead partner in a vibrant alliance of public, private nonprofit, and for profit enterprises that serves and is economically sustained by the vision of Fort Worden State Park as a gathering place dedicated to creative, educational, and recreational retreat, renewal, and discovery.

Values
Creativity is our primary resource. We achieve excellence by taking risks and embracing change. We change by actively seeking out, inviting in, listening to, and learning from people of all ages and backgrounds.  We thrive in partnership and alliance.

The wording of and the spirit behind these statements reflects our institutional commitment to the profound partnership of purpose that Centrum seeks with Fort Worden. The alignment with the Fort’s own mission, vision, and values is intentional.