By Mark Coddington
mark.coddington@theindependent.com

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Independent/Barrett Stinson Stuhr Museum has launched its Pride of the Prairie Annual Fund Drive this week. The funds raised will help the museum continue its various programs, including the educational programs at the old rural schoolhouse where Gates Elementary fourth-graders are shown visiting 1888. The students, including (from left) Jordan Moreno, Megan Wardyn and Brianna Menagh, are working on their arithmetic using chalk and small blackboards. Independent/Barrett Stinson Gates Elementary fourth-grader Dylan Spilinek practices his penmanship using pen and ink while sitting near a window in the old rural schoolhouse at Stuhr Museum. Click Thumbnails to View

"We'd just be tickled pink if people just sustained their generous giving to the museum," said Pam Price, the foundation's executive director.

The museum launched its Pride of the Prairie Annual Fund Drive this week with a goal of raising $180,000 to complement a $15,000 pledge by CNH in matching funds.

That's a slight increase over last year's goal of $175,000, though donations eventually totaled $202,000 by the campaign's end.

Because that drive was "so tremendously successful," Price said, it allowed the foundation to ask past donors only to maintain their current giving levels, rather than ratcheting up its asking amount again.

Along with proceeds from admissions, memberships, program fees, grants and funds from the Hall County Board of Supervisors, the drive will help pay for the museum's normal operations and maintenance.

But this year's drive will also help fund a dramatic increase in Stuhr's summer school program.

Last year, the museum offered 42 classes, which were attended by about 750 children, Price said. This year, that number has jumped to 66, with capacity for about 1,400 children.

The demand for such a boost has always been there, Price said. In fact, as of Monday, just a month after registration was made available to members and a day after it was opened to the public, 655 children had already signed up.

Price said significant improvements like that are made possible because of gradual increases in funding.

"If we keep growing inch by inch, we're able to produce the kind of things that keep us improving," she said.

This year's drive is called "Building a CASE in History" in honor of CNH's involvement. Price said the company has been exemplary in its cooperation, both on the local and national levels.

Andrew Marsh, the local plant's human resources director, is a co-chairman of the drive's phonathon, and corporate officials were remarkably fast in responding to Stuhr's request for a partnership, Price said.

The drive, which will likely run through the end of June, will be co-chaired by Renee Goble, president of the museum's board, and Densel Rasmussen, president of the foundation's board.

Rasmussen said he's excited to see the support of CNH and to tap into more of that from Grand Island area residents.

"There is such a wonderful base of support for the museum in this community," he said. "Everybody just rises to the challenge when we make that ask for the annual fund drive."

To donate

To find out more or donate to Stuhr's annual fund drive, call 385-5131.