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Welcome to a new year of remembering those individuals that are or have been so important to the museum and to us personally. But first let us review the first year of "Your Remembrance Program's" operation.

At our Annual Membership Meeting in January 2007 "Your Remembrance Program" was introduced for the first time to "provide members and friends of the museum a way to recognize or honor individuals who are or have been important in their lives and to our museum." The program was well received and over the following year, twenty four individuals were remembered by donors who made donations to the museum's endowment fund through "Your Remembrance Program".

Each donation ranged between $25.00 and $500.00. The donations given through "Your Remembrance Program" are 100% tax deductible. Each person being honored had their name printed in the Ignitor along with the donor name and in addition, names were printed in the remembrance book on display in the gift shop. Those being remembered or their families, received a recognition card and the donor's received a thank you and a record of donation to be used for tax purposes.

Our Museum's endowment fund has grown to over $48,000.00. The goal over the next few years is to raise the fund to $100,000.00. All donations made through "Your Remembrance Program" are placed in the museum's endowment fund and only the interest generated can be used to support the general operation of the museum. So far, the interest has not been needed to fund the museums operation so all of the interest has been rolled back into the fund. The museum treasurer and the museum director keep close watch over the endowment fund and invest the funds in a manner that provide for the highest interest rate along with the high levels of security. None of the endowment funds are invested in securities that are affected by the stock market.

Now, for 2008. We are off to a slow start with only four individuals being remembered so far this year. There are many wonderful people working hard to maintain and improve our museum that should be honored by their friends. Remember that it's "ok" for a person to be remembered by more than one individual. Each person being remembered, along with the donor will be treated individually and not grouped together. Not only should we be honoring the hard workers today, but we should remember those museum members that are no longer with us. Many individuals that have passed away over the last few years were very important in making the museum what it is today. Ask yourself, "have they been remembered and should I have remembered them with a donation to the endowment fund?"

Join me today with remembering someone who is making or has made important contributions to the museum. Just fill out the Remembrance Program Form and send it to our museum office. All donation amounts are kept confidential unless the donor would like it made public.

Those individuals being honored so far in 2008 are:

IN MEMORY OF:
Evelyn Jeane Churchill
To keep the memories and purpose of the museum
Donor: Michael, Danny & Andrea Churchill

Romona Osterberg
For the Weaver Education Program For Youth
Donor: Teri and Bruce Osterberg

Mark "Mac" McFarland
Who introduced me to the museum and was such a driving force for the museum
Donor: Irene Sterns

Ruth Spickler
Donor: Sally and Phil Green

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