Fundraising for the new Veterans Museum, In Their Own Words, takes a new twist this month with a very public campaign spearheaded by Kenny Nelson.
The campaign which is intended to reach a broad spectrum of supporters from business to private will be carried out by members of a fundraising committee which was formed early this year to help meet the goals for the project.
Phase I, which includes all the construction and exhibit costs necessary to have a museum has been set at $499,672. Of that, $409,963 has been raised to date. The committee wants to raise an additional $155,380 in order to refurbish the exterior of the building and for landscaping and parking. An endowment fund is also being developed to help support public programs at the museum.
Total Construction Project $655, 052
Phase I $499,672
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Phase II $155,380
Raised to date 2/28/06 $409,963
As passersby have noted, construction has begun on the former VFW building at 805 West Main in order that the exhibition can open on July 4, 2006. The next few weeks will be critical in determining how much of the project can be completed before that time. Each week the pledges will be tallied and the Enterprise Bulletin will show the results. Pledges for the project can be any amount but pledges over $250 can be paid for over several years. Donations can also be made in honor of or in memory of a veteran. All donors will be recognized as founding members and all donations over $250 will be recognized on a special commemorative wall.
ITOW is a unique concept which is already being talked about at the local, state and national level. The City of Perham has donated $90,000 to the project. The State of Minnesota has already set aside $100,000 and the Federal Government is again considering an allocation of $150,000. A grant request has already been made to the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences for $112,020 to help fund ongoing programming for the museum and this spring a request for matching funds will be made to the National Endowment for the Humanities.
