The Village Green Foundation board voted unanimously to approve former King County Boys & Girls Clubs CEO Daniel Johnson as the foundation’s new executive director on March 18.

Johnson’s new duties will include planning and execution of the final fundraising push so that construction of the new community center can begin as early as possible.

“We’re extremely excited to have someone with Daniel’s expertise and sense of mission to lead us into the final lap,” Village Green Foundation President Mary McClure said.

Johnson, a private consultant for the past two years, said, “All aspects of the Village Green Foundation’s position intrigue me. The sense of community involvement in this project, though, is what convinced me that I wanted to be a part of it.”

Johnson cited, as an example, the recent donation of $13,900 by the Kingston Friends of the Library, completing $55,000 in pledges begun in 2008 for the Village Green Community Center.

“Here’s a community group that has donated so much time and effort to raise money basically one book and one dollar at a time,” he said. “It is a testament to how strong this community’s commitment is and to how much it is looking forward to the positive impact that the new community center will have on everyone’s life.”

McClure noted that Scot Hedrick and Dick Coar, former president and treasurer, respectively, of the Kingston Friends of the Library, deserve accolades and thanks for their dedicated stewardship of the book sale funds over the years. Current Friends of the Library President Ann Wetter added special appreciation that “long-time Friends members such as Bob Jungst had the vision to begin setting aside funds for the new facility at least 15 years ago.”

In addition to the Friends of the Library donation, Johnson noted the well-respected McEachern Trust has just approved a large grant for the project.

“In every way possible, the local non-profit community, local, state and even the federal government are showing their enthusiasm for the community’s energetic support that is driving this project to completion.”

The mission of the Village Green Foundation is to build a place that connects and strengthens community.  The Village Green Community Center will include the new Kingston branch of the regional library, an expanded home for the North Kitsap Boys & Girls Club, a fully accessible Senior Center, community meeting spaces, a commercial-grade teaching kitchen, and a multipurpose exercise space.