Dear Seymour Historical Society Supporter:

Happy New Year!  We’re happy to report that the Seymour Historical Society enters 2010 in good health and with ambitious plans.

Before we ask you to join (or re-join) our society and donate to our capital fund, here’s an update on where we’ve been and where we’re headed. We held eight programs last year, attracting nearly 600 guests. We had large audiences for programs on Connecticut’s legendary Leather Man, the history of Easter Eggs, the local post office and Arlington National Cemetery, to name but a few.

Meanwhile, our headquarters on West Street should look a lot better by late spring. We applied for and received a grant from the Katharine Matthies Foundation that will pay for exterior painting and some repairs. Additionally, we have hooked up with community groups that are helping us improve and maintain our property. One Eagle Scout, for example, is rebuilding our old, rotted fencing.   

As for 2010, we again plan to hold eight free programs, bringing in speakers to talk about a wide range of topics. We are embarking on a long-term project to assess our collection of photographs and artifacts and to improve our exhibits. Also, members of the Seymour Historical Society’s Board of Directors have taken the lead in planning the town’s first Founders’ Day.

So what do we need from you? First, we hope to see you at our programs; we’ll send you invitations unless you indicate on the enclosed membership form that you want to be removed from our mailing list. Second, we hope our annual members will re-enlist by filling out the form and paying the modest dues. (Those of you who joined toward the end of 2009 can wait until the latter stages of 2010 to renew.) For those of you who aren’t members, we hope you will consider joining. Your membership dues would go a long way toward helping us offer free programs and cover annual operating expenses.

Finally, we would hope everyone (including life members, who, of course, owe nothing in annual dues) might consider a contribution to our capital fund. Although we are aggressively applying for grants, the foundations that help non-profits want to see evidence of successful local fund-raising. In essence, the $25, $50 or $100 you might donate to us can unlock the door to thousands more in grant money. While we have money for exterior painting, our building has leaky roofs, crumbling ceilings and outdated office equipment that still must be addressed. You can combine your membership dues and any donation on one check and mail it in the stamped envelopes we have provided.

We fully understand that the economy is still struggling, and that this isn’t the best time to ask for money. But we do hope that you view the Seymour Historical Society – which offers free programs, preserves local history and supports other community endeavors – is worthy of your financial support.

Sincerely,

Paul Sussman

President

Seymour Historical Society