Page 4 - 2021 Annual Report Flipbook

A MESSAgE froM thE boArd of truStEES
We celebrated 150 years! On November 27 a hardy group of Athenaeum
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staff and trustees stood under a tent out in front of the Athenaeum. We
passed out hot cider, cupcakes and birthday swag bags filled with some of
Vermont’s finest products, maple syrup, cheese and chocolate. The cold and
windy November weather could not dampen our spirits. Of course this was
not the celebration we planned over a year ago. Those plans for programs
and parties are on the shelf waiting for a time when we can enjoy each
other’s company without masks and distancing.
Plans for the 150 celebration included projects as well as programs and
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parties. The Kingdom has always attracted novelists, poets, and writers of
everything from children’s books to mysteries to cookbooks and local
histories, but they have never been collected in one place. As part of our
celebration, we launched the Northeast Kingdom Authors Project—a
comprehensive collection of works by Northeast Kingdom writers. The
books will be available for research and in-library enjoyment. Many of the
works will also be available in circulating copies. We’re eagerly planning
public programs that feature Kingdom authors and assembling a database to
share information about them.
To kick off the project, we collected the complete works of six Northeast
Kingdom Authors: Reeve Lindbergh, Howard Mosher, Galway Kinnell,
Don Bredes, Rachel Hadas and Beth Kanell. We taped two evenings of
readings that you can view on our web site at www.stjathenaeum.org. There
are plans for collecting works from another group of authors and more
readings in 2022.
For another year our resilient staff adapted to changing guidance from
state and federal authorities: the Athenaeum stayed open, circulated
books, offered access to a wide spectrum of electronic entertainment and
information, and presented virtual programs. We couldn’t have done it
without you. We are grateful for your financial support. We are thankful
for all who signed the 150 birthday card, appreciated our cupcakes, or
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walked through the door with a cheerful “Hello.”
Wynne Brown
Board Chair
Long-giving donorS KEy to AthEnAEuM’S SuccESS
Back in January, our Building Manager Chanley and I were cleaning up the
“tech shelves” in the Athenaeum’s basement. Among the boxes stuffed with
multiple cords and cables and connectors for every electrical device made
in the last five decades, a brown metal monolith caught my eye. I wiped off
the dust and opened the double-hinged cover. The box was filled with index
cards. On one side was a name and address; on the other was their giving
history from 1983-89. For a development officer this was an incredible time
capsule stretching back nearly forty years.
What struck me going through the cards was how many names I recognized
as current donors. I saw cards for families that have been here for many
generations (even a flatlander like me recognized the names!). I even found
the card for the current Board of Trustee Chair and her husband (thank you
Wynne and Charlie).
Our digital records only go back about twelve years, so I rarely think about
the time before that. But this historic record opened my eyes to the rich
tradition of giving the Athenaeum represents—and how I am part of a larger
community than I imagined.
I am proud of our fundraising success in the last few years (we raised about
49 percent over our Annual Fund goal, and our Annual Giving reached
beyond $150,000—appropriate for our 150 Birthday year!), but I realize our
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success is due to the long-time supporters of the Athenaeum. Our LEAD
Society recognizes individuals who have given five consecutive years, but
some of our donors have been giving for forty years or more!
So thank you to every donor—those who have been giving $5 a year for
forty years, made their first adopt-a-book gift this year, or sent a substantial
donation to recognize the influence of the Athenaeum on their lives. You all
have contributed to the Athenaeum’s longevity and success, and your
continued long-term giving ensures a bright future for Horace Fairbanks’
dream of the Athenaeum being a “favorite place of resort for patient
research, reading and study.”
Scott Davis
Development Officer