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| The Cold War Museum Year End Wish List and 2010 List of Accomplishments - Thank You for Your Support. |
Dear Friends and Supporters of The Cold War Museum®,
I can't believe it has been a year since we signed our lease with Vint Hill Economic Development Authority (www.vinthill.com) for use of 4000 sq ft of storage and exhibit space 40 miles from Washington, DC. Now that the county building permits have been secured, Vint Hill EDA is working diligently on the building remodel. Our museum design firm, Studio Ammons, (www.studioammons.com) is in the process of providing a $70,000 in-kind donation of architectural and design services for our interior exhibits and displays (www.coldwar.org/museum/physical_location2.asp). However, we need to continue with our fundraising efforts in order to cover costs associated with our new home. Below is our year end "Wish List" followed by our 2010 list of accomplishments.
We are constantly asked where our funding comes from and whether we have an endowment to support our activities. One reporter even asked if we had an "Angel." We have been very fortunate to have had generous support from a variety of sources in the past. However, until we have an endowment fund in place, our resources have to be constantly replenished. So in case you have not exhausted your charitable giving for the year, now is the time we truly need your financial support.
I would like to invite you to join me in making a year end tax deductible donation to help support The Cold War Museum®. Donations, no matter the amount, can be sent directly to The Cold War Museum®, P.O. Box 861526, Vint Hill, VA 20187, or online at www.coldwar.org/museum/contributions.asp through "GuideStar," "Just Give," or "Paypal." Remember, since the museum is a 501(C)(3) charity, all donations are tax deductible.
Should you have any questions or need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me through www.coldwar.org. Thank you and Happy New Year.
All the best,
Francis Gary Powers, Jr.
Founder
The Cold War Museum Update
2010 YEAR END DONATIONS WISH LIST
$1500 will provide graphics and text panels for one of our displays and will list the donor who made it possible. We have ten to twelve displays that need to be designed, created, and installed such as the End of WWII, Origins of the Cold War, Domino Theory-Hot Wars of the Cold War, Espionage and Intelligence Gathering, M.A.D. and Civil Defense, Space Race, Missile Gap and Bomber Gap, Bay of Pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis, Propaganda, The Berlin Wall, and the Collapse of the Soviet Union-End of the Cold War.
$2500 will provide a conference room table for the research library and a point-of-sale system for the gift shop.
$2500 will provide gift shop shelving and two computer stations in our research library.
$5000 will allow us to install a state of the art oral history collection area within the research library.
$10,000 will allow upgrading to museum quality lighting and the purchase of a photocopier for the research library.
$35,000 will enable us to do everything listed above.
$50,000 will enable us to retrofit our storage facility with shelving, lighting, and other archival items necessary to properly care for and store our collection.
$100,000 will enable us to retrofit our storage facility and hire a curator.
$250,000 will enable us to add state of the art kiosks, interactive learning centers, and upgrade our exhibits that will help bring the artifacts and display boards to life so that students will truly have an unique educational experience to remember.
While I understand that $50K to $250K is a lot to ask for in this context and that most people would like to see a list of what their contribution would provide before making this type of donation, I am still optimistic that I will find an Angel. I need to ask or else I will never know what would have happened. The museum is so close to opening and yet there is so much to be done to prepare. Your financial assistance, no matter the amount, is greatly appreciated.
2010 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
MUSEUM DESIGN AND BUILDING REMODEL
-Secured $135,000 from Vint Hill Economic Development Authority and $50,000 from Fauquier County Industrial Development Authority to offset the costs associated with the museum building remodel.
-Received $70,000 in-kind donation of architectural and design services for our interior exhibits and displays from museum design firm, Studio Ammons.
-Received a $75,000 donation of Helzberg Diamonds display cases that can be used in our new facility.
-Received a Joint House Resolution (HJ 189) from the Commonwealth of Virginia for our efforts to locate the museum in Fauquier County presented by Clerk of the House of Delegates, Bruce Jamerson, and Delegate Scott Lingamfelter.
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
-Conducted a Cold War Museum Podcast interview with David Eisenhower on his new book, "Coming Home to Glory," about President Eisenhower that is now available to be listened to online http://coldwarpodcast.com.
-Conducted a Teacher's Institute with the Virginia War Memorial and provided resource material to over 30 Virginia teachers from around the state for use in their classrooms.
-Conducted Spy Tours for history teachers from Prince William County Public Schools, Daughters of the American Revolution (The DAR) National Convention, the Community College Humanities Association 2010 Southern Division Conference, and related groups.
-Continued to work with the Diefenbunker Museum in Ottawa, Canada; the Atomic Bunker Museum in Harnekop, Germany; and the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC to display some of our artifacts until the Vint Hill site is ready.
-Displayed our mobile exhibit on the U-2 Incident at The Virginia Historical Society (www.vahistorical.org) in Richmond, VA and the EAA Museum (www.eaa.org) in Oshkosh, WI.
-Traveled to Moscow to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the U-2 Incident. Gave lectures at the Central Armed Forces Museum, the US Embassy, and press interviews to an assortment of European and Russian media outlets.
-Attended the annual EAA AirAdventure in Oshkosh, WI, the largest air show in the world. The Midwest Chapter had an exhibit booth set up in hanger B, the mobile U-2 Incident Exhibit was set up at the EAA Museum, and I gave numerous lectures, gallery walks, and joint presentations during the event at EAA.
WEBSITE DESIGN AND COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT
-Updated our website (www.coldwar.org) and created a space for advertisers. If you would like to advertise on our website, please let me know. The website update was made possible by a grant from the Virginia Tourism Corporation (www.virginia.org) and was done by C. Liston Communication (www.clisotn.com). The museum website averages over 800 unique visitors per day which equates to over 300,000 individuals, primarily students, visiting the webpage per year and learning about the international aspects of Cold War history.
-Transferred our $2 million collection from four separate storage facilities and consolidated into one building. Completed collection inventory of our rare and unique Cold War artifacts thanks to a three month practicum by a Public History/Museum Studies graduate student, Kelsey Blair, from the University of West Florida.
-Loaned items from our collection to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum and Library for use in a Cold War exhibition.
TRADEMARK
-Received an Affidavit of Incontestability from the United States Patent and Trademark Office for our trademark, The Cold War Museum®, and prevented the cancellation of our trademark by a disgruntled competitor.
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