A chamber of commerce fund-raising drive to boost economic development activity already has received pledges for more than half of its $1.2 million goal.

Chamber officials at a kickoff breakfast Thursday morning announced they’ve received pledges totaling $703,250 from 38 area businesses.

Co-chair Marilyn Dobski, co-owner of Lawrence’s McDonald’s Restaurant franchise, and Kansas University Chancellor Robert Hemenway said they expect to reach or exceed the goal of $1.2 million by April.

Chamber officials eight months ago decided to start the fundraising drive, called Excellence by Design, to increase funding of the chamber’s economic development efforts.

They said the money will be spent on programs and efforts that should produce 5,300 new jobs over the next four years and attract $40 million a year in new capital investments.

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