The Carl Sandburg Historic Site Association met today at the Carl Sandburg Birthplace to announce their “Native Son, National Treasure” endowment campaign.
The association plans to raise $10,000, which would be matched by the Galesburg Community Foundation, toward a $20,000 endowment fund.
Association member and Director of Tourism Bill Morris said they have raised about $7,500, mostly internally, and are looking for the remaining $2,500 from the community and anyone willing to donate.
Morris says they have loftier long-term goals in mind.
“Incrementally, we’ll probably go to $50,000, then $100,000 and we’d like to get a $1 million endowment,” he says. “How long that’ll take, we don’t know. But our goal is to raise a million dollars.”
Historic Site Superintendent Martha Downey says the state’s lack of a budget has impacted the site, but not their ability to operate.
“They are still continuing, of course, to pay state employees as well as contractual employees,” she says. “And we have Matt Swanson, who is our contractual employee here, so he is keeping the site open Thursday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.”
The association hopes to reach their $10,000 goal by June 30.
