GoFundMe Site Established For Prince Memorial Highway Signs In Minnesota
A plan to honor one of Minnesota's most-loved celebrities is underway and organizers are looking for your help.
Two seperate bills to rename a portion of Highway 5 in Chanhassen, designating it the "Prince Rogers Nelson Memorial Highway" are currently making their way through the Minnesota Legislature. The effort - put forth by two different lawmakers, seeks to alter the name of the roadway to honor the Minnesota-born musician who died in 2016.
Not only was Prince born in the state, he continued to make the Twin Cities metro his home - famously living at Paisley Park, located in Chanhassen, right off of Highway 5.
Renaming roadways to honor someone normally only takes one piece of legislation; this time around, this effort requires two bills - because the segment of Highway 5 that organizers are looking at naming Prince Rogers Nelson Memorial Highway already has a memorial designation: the Augue Mueller Memorial Highway, a former State Senator. The lawmakers are just looking to rename a few miles of that highway that's already been designated for their own memorial.
Signage for the memorial designation doesn't come for free. According to some news sources, two signs - one for each side of the highway - "cost about $2,000". However, more signs could be needed or desired.
In order to ease the cost of those signs, two individuals have established a GoFundMe site to raise the money needed for the memorial highway designation. It's an effort to take the costs away from Minnesota Taxpayers, and provide "an opportunity for all who loved Prince, far and wide, to be active in preserving the legacy" of the rock superstar.
The organizers aren't looking for a specific dollar amount - although GoFundMe requires a declared amount. Instead, they're suggesting that "the total amount needed will be dependent on the number of signs that [they] are able to secure placement for. This amount is subject to change". In addition, they offer that "[f]ull transparency on the spending of any funds will be provided".
As of this writing, the GoFundMe site has collected more than $3,000. If you'd like more details or want to donate for yourself, check out the donation website.