Revenue came from such sources as ticket sales, bar sales, bucket raffles and activities such as pie in the face, in which the donor of a certain amount got to pick from among specific people willing to get a pie in their face.

The event Sept. 19 drew an estimated 230 people, center Executive Director Chelsea Hart said.

“We really appreciate people coming out,” Hart said. “This was something new to us. We’ve never done that type of event before, but we really wanted to show people where we’re at in the process. You could look right up at the ceiling and see the charred beams.”

Hart noted the event costs were minimal, as many people offered their services for the event at a steeply discounted rate. The funds after costs will be split between the center and Players de Noc, which rented space at the center.

The area near the chandelier is where the fire was centered, damaging the sound booth and its equipment nearby.

“Right now, the funds are going towards things that are needed right now to kind of keep the show rolling or they will be saved to lessen the amount that might not be covered by insurance,” Hart said.

The center’s building and its theater’s infrastructure damage has made the insurance’s price estimate higher.

“The insurance has not solidified what they will cover,” she said.

While the funding for the center’s roof recovery is covered by insurance, the insurance has yet to approve the new higher estimate of $1 million for the building’s total damages.

“They’re not going to cover everything that we feel we need to become whole and go back to what we were prior,” Hart said. “We’re trying to make sure we have enough funds for the building in case insurance comes back and says ‘We can only cover up to this much. If you want more, then it’s coming out of your pocket.'”

Community members raffled art and various items to fundraise for the center.

Construction on the Bonifas Center’s roof is slated to begin next week.

The center’s general contractor, ServiceMaster Recovery by Restoration Holdings – Green Bay, was called in to assist in Milwaukee after the major flooding event this summer, which has delayed roof construction at the center.

Because the roof’s construction is an urgent matter as winter approaches, the center requires contractors who are available as soon as possible. ServiceMaster is now available to begin construction.

“We’re trying to use as many local contractors as we can. Of course, we want to support our community the way they’ve supported us, but at the end of the day some issues are scheduling,” Hart said.

Once the roof is fixed, lots of work can be completed inside during the winter months, Hart said.

The storage area under the center's stage held costumes, equipment, and other items that were extensively damaged. Water from the fire was diverted into the storage room through the small door, pictured, to save the stage from collapsing,

Players de Noc, a partner in the event, will be putting its half of the Raise the Roof funds towards equipment that was damaged from the fire and the subsequent water damage, such as soundboards and lightboards, “while continuing to produce theater for the community,” said Brennan Richardson, vice president of Players de Noc.

The organization previously staged shows at the Bonifas Center, so much of its large, expensive equipment was kept in the center even in the off season.

While the center’s theater space is under construction, Players de Noc will perform its 2025-26 season at the Besse Center Theater at Bay de Noc Community College, which offered the theater space at a discounted rate. Their first show, “Don’t Mention My Name,” debuts tonight and runs through Oct. 4.