Press Release

BERNE, Ind.-Groundbreaking for the long awaited Muensterberg Plaza and Clock Tower in Berne, Ind., is now set. The event will take place Wednesday, March 17, beginning at 5 p.m.

"We're planning an informal groundbreaking event-no speeches or program," said Berne CDC President David Baumgartner. "It'll be a photo shoot, open to anyone who has participated in the planning or who has pledged and/or given financial support."

The groundbreaking is planned as a community event, and supporters of the clock tower project are invited to come any time between 5 and 6 p.m. to have their picture taken turning a shovel as a way of saying "thank you" for helping to make this historic event a reality.

Construction of the 160-foot, $3 million clock tower and plaza will mark the culmination of a five-year fund-raising effort whose seeds were planted nearly 10 years ago. Dedication of the completed clock tower is planned for Saturday, July 31, during the 2010 Swiss Days celebration.

The deadline for contributing to the donor plaque, to be placed in the rotunda at the base of the tower, is May 1. Pledges of $1,000 or more continue to come in from individuals who want to have their name listed on the plaque.

Source: Berne Community Development Corporation