Fundraising Efforts To Save Walt Disney's First Animation Studio

News out of the nation's heartland has it that a fundraising group is battling to save Walt Disney's first animation studio. The Kansas City based Laugh-O-Gram, where Walt Disney got his start in animation back in 1922, is the focus of a fundraising push to raise some $2 million.

The group responsible for the fundraising efforts, Thank You Walt Disney Inc., has already raised (and spent) $1 million in its goal to restore the studio. To date, the group says it has enabled the studio's building to be removed from Kansas City's demolition list as well as made improvements to the structure of the building in the form of a new roof, new framing and new concrete floors.

As of now, the building is an open space, vacant except for drawing and cartoon decorations. Thank You Walt Disney Inc. hopes their fundraising efforts will enable a new animation and digital media studio to be installed in the building's second floor. To fill the rest of the unused space, the group is holding an open design competition.

The fundraising group is also planning a benefit in the form of a juried art show on Friday. In addition, Bret Iwan, the official voice of Mickey Mouse, is also expected to put in an apperance at the benefit.

Chairman of Thank You Walt Disney Inc. had this to say about the fundraising efforts:

There is an important question people raise: Why is this taking so long? The answer: It's just a slow fundraising process. But perseverance is important. Walt Disney wanted to build Disneyland for a long time, but he never gave up. And we will not give up on saving this important part of our history.

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