Giving Tuesday. Remember ALHFAM.

From ALHFAM President, Tom Kelleher:

I am sure you will agree that this has been an eventful year. . . ALHFAM launched a new and more functional website, with full access for members to the ALHFAM Skills and Knowledge Base (ASK), improved membership management and up-to-date membership directories, and full access and services for our many Institutional Associate members. . . we have an updated logo . . .(and) many of us enjoyed a week of southern hospitality courtesy of the Louisiana Rural Life Museum at the annual ALHFAM conference in Baton Rouge.  Others have attended recent regional meetings of the Western Canada, Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, Western, Midwest and Mountain/Plains Regions, or a retreat hosted by the First Person Interpreters’ Professional Interest Group.   As wonderful as our Bulletin, e-Update, website and ALHFAM-L discussion list are, there is nothing like gathering together to learn from and share with skilled colleagues and wise kindred spirits.

Sadly each year we lose some of our beloved friends, including most recently Webmaster Blake Hayes and former Board Member Barry Herlihy, among others.  While ALHFAM will not be quite the same without them, the organization is what it is in large part because of them.

Today is Giving Tuesday in the United States and Canada.  It was created as a way for folks to give back, as a response to the crass consumerism of the modern holiday season. Therefore I take this opportunity to ask you to please number the Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums among the deserving causes that you support.

ALHFAM members have a passion for bringing history to life.  You know the positive impact it has on people, especially the young. Our organization fosters, shares and preserves the knowledge and skills that make this possible. The ALHFAM board is committed to keeping membership accessible to all who toil in our chosen field. We remain the most affordable and useful professional affiliation around.  Yet even in a volunteer-driven organization such as ours, services to members including publications such as the ALHFAM Bulletin and Annual Conference Proceedings; hosting a website and the ALHFAM on-line discussion list; the searchable ALHFAM Skills & Knowledge Base; advocating for support of the museums and programs where we practice history; and nurturing emerging professionals and seasoned practitioners alike through affordable regional and annual conferences, come at a cost. These and other member services simply cannot be covered by basic ALHFAM membership dues alone.

I realize that there are many worthy causes deserving your support. Please make ALHFAM one of them.  A handy “Donate to ALHFAM” button at the bottom of our ALHFAM.org homepage makes it simple. As a non-profit tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization, contributions to ALHFAM beyond basic membership dues are tax deductible. No contribution is too small!

Or consider upgrading your membership to the Supporting or Patron level.  Or grow the ALHFAMily by giving an ALHFAM membership to a friend as a gift

Thank you for your support, and I wish you and yours a prosperous and very happy season.

Sincerely,

Tom