(Atlantic) Fundraising efforts are ongoing, and site preparation is underway for the Vision Atlantic Initiative. This $84 million project includes new housing, an expanded YMCA, and a new childcare center with capacity for 300 children.
KSOM/KS95 News continues our series featuring the key leaders behind this transformative effort. This week, we speak with Paul Gude, President of First Whitney Bank and a member of the Solicitation Committee leading the fundraising campaign. The focus of this segment: “Why I Gave.”
Gude says the Vision Atlantic project was first presented to them two years ago. Ironically, at that time, representatives from First Whitney Bank were already in conversations about the critical need to improve childcare options in Atlantic.
He notes that the childcare shortage has been a challenge not only for the families they serve but also for their own employees.
Paul Gude explained that First Whitney Bank has been a longtime supporter of the YMCA and has long recognized the community’s housing shortage and the limited availability of land for development. He recalls the day when Vision Atlantic President Christina Bateman and the late Keith Harlan walked through the door to present the idea for this project. This moment marked the beginning of something significant for Atlantic.
Gude says this is a chance to hit all three legs of the stool that we have been missing. Gude says the big factor is the outside money in the form of the Lakin Foundation coming into the community is too good to pass up.
First Whitney Bank & Trust led donation efforts for Vision Atlantic’s transformative project, donating a substantial $2.5 million. Vision Atlantic President Christina Bateman expresses her gratitude for helping to jump-start the fundraising campaign.
Recently, the project received another financial boost from the Cass County Board of Supervisors, which committed $2.5 million to the Childcare project, over five years, starting the fiscal year 2026-2027.
The full interview can be heard below:
