(I would normally never think to begin a donor letter with Dr. Seuss, but nothing is normal right now.)
Recently I was rereading Oh, the Places We’ll Go by Dr. Suess. In it, he talks about “the waiting place” where I think we can all identify with these last 3 months. He closes with “So be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray. Or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O’Shea, you’re off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So get on your way”. Our mountain is waiting and there are many cliffs and crags, but we must be able to climb it.
In these troubling times, history museums provide us a sense of connection and continuity. As everyone struggles with huge challenges, our work matters more than ever. It matters that we offer stories of past struggles, change and recovery. And it matters that our Mansion be able to re-open – for our community members as well as the tourists who come to visit us from afar. And to awaken a renewed dedication to our mission: To use the Hegeler Carus Mansion and its many stories to inspire excitement and appreciation locally and globally for its heritage, architecture, and design.
Now is a time for us to come together as we have so many times before, but with a new sense of purpose that will last well beyond the Covid-19 crisis. The Mansion that we protect and preserve holds the promise for the future we want to reclaim. Our Mansion and its history stand as an example to our present, that for over 144 years, it has met the challenge and survived. We need these old buildings in our lives as much as they need us. They help us remember who we are and where we have come from.
Our mountain awaits. If your circumstances allow, please consider donating to the Hegeler Carus Mansion Foundation. Supporting our mission and our Mansion is crucial now more than ever. We must preserve and share this amazing house and the history it holds. Our future requires it.
Thank you for considering a gift of any amount to our summer campaign.
Cindy