FEBRUARY 24, 2026
This year’s Donor Appreciation Zine was created with materials sourced from the Civic Center’s archive. These items included board agendas, strategic planning notes, donor letters, resumes, grant appeals, equipment brochures and so much more. All materials were from the early 1980s, likely saved from the volunteer team that saved the Civic Center from demolition after its time as a public school ended in the late 1970s.
This project was a pleasure to piece together one scrap at a time and highlighted the similarities of the work of preservation and community building from then and now. It’s clear that collaborative work is timeless.
They couldn’t do it alone then.
We can’t do it without you, just the same.
Thanks for being a part of this chapter in our history.
— JESS BRAUER, Executive Director & ‘Zine Maker
BEHIND THE ZINE
[1] Gather. Connect. Grow.
Gathering materials for this project was an adventure. I wish I could share all the treasures I found that influenced this project. For now, here is a closer look at a few of my favorites. If you look closely, you’ll see pieces of these elements scattered throughout the pages of the zine.
Tour Guides
Maps of Laramie printed in the “Walking Tour of Laramie Vol. 1” from the Wyoming Architectural Heritage Foundation date back to the 1880s. The guide was priced at 10¢ and edited by Rick Headlee and Ken Crawford.
Brochures:
The date of this Laramie Plains Civic Center brochure is unknown, but the text indicates it was from the building’s early years, likely used to spread the word about the rich history and ample opportunities in the large structure.
The Wyoming Council for the Arts pamphlet advocates for supporting the arts in Wyoming with data on the impact on the state’s economy and the health of its citizens. Some things never change, eh?
Odds and Ends
The vinyl lettering used throughout this project was found in a “Boys Basketball” folder in the building’s mysterious 4th floor, or “The Tower” as some may know it.
Quilt pieces found in the South Gym Locker Room, now “The Workshop,” were clearly stitched by hand with love. While the origins of these scraps are unknown, they’re a special treasure that pays homage to the creative makers who have always been here in the walls of this building.
[2] Letter from Jess
One of my favorite discoveries in the archives was the old letterhead. Each era of Civic Center leadership had its own design. We even found personal stationery from past job applicants and former Wyoming governors.
I may not yet have cool letterhead of my own, but I’m grateful to write to you now as part of this ongoing tradition.
Former Director Eisenhauer’s personal stationary donned in doodles while letterhead and memo pads from the Civic Center and Laramie Chamber contained important correspondence from the nonprofit’s first years.
[3] Did You Know?
The facts throughout the zine blend past and present. The specifics of this work change, but the rhythm doesn’t. And the impact remains.
Whether floor scrubbers, cleaning chemicals, or paint for the walls, there are (and were) countless decisions made every day to keep the building in order. Here are just a few examples from the collection of past brochures and resources used to design this publication.
[4-5] A (Timeless!) Day in the Life at the Civic Center
A day in the office in 1983 doesn’t look so different from a day in 2026. Old meeting notes mention broken fixtures, event logistics, list potential collaborators, and committees, and make sure to place a cookie order from beloved local bakery “While You Were Out.” Slips echo today’s text messages and emails. Handwritten calculations mirror our modern spreadsheets.
Past notes and policies from the Civic Center archive show the hard choices the then-staff were making as they explored how to keep the former school building still standing in Laramie. Ledger pages were used for rental tracking, a practice from the past that we’re glad to see modernized for today’s team.
[6-7] Our Donors
Our donors' spread sits atop records of early donors from the Civic Center’s very beginnings. From the start, public support has been at the heart of this work. The archived records show support from in-kind volunteers, local partners, and individual community members. The fundraising committee created opportunities for Laramie to invest in the future of the historic building through campaigns that called out Civic Center Citizens! and offered the chance to name a room (the theatre too!). It’s a great reminder that it takes a village to make these spaces thrive, and this building has always been a product of collaboration.
A fundraising campaign letter featured the nonprofits “Civic Center Citizens” campaign and asked Laramie to make a donation in exchange for naming rights to a room in the building.
[8] Civic Center Commentary
Inspired by my childhood love of a word game, the final page of the zine is a chance to put your own mark on a piece of Civic Center history. The Laramie Plains Civic Center Commentary column ran in the Laramie Boomerang in the 1980s and featured routine updates from the directors on the building’s happenings. Here, Dennis Williams advocates for the organization's support from the City Council—something not unfamiliar to our team today.
A typewriter-written press release was sent to the Boomerang editors from the Civic Center staff and published in the paper’s column in the early 1980s.
