“Goal Plus One” Success Caps Vesterheim’s On the Shoulders of Giants Campaign
Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum successfully concluded the “Goal Plus One” final phase of its extended On the Shoulders of Giants capital campaign on April 30 by raising a total of $1,824,481, surpassing the year-long campaign goal of $1.6 million.
Vesterheim’s Board of Trustees voted to extend the On the Shoulders of Giants campaign after reaching a goal of $6 million in October 2006, months before the anticipated end of the campaign. The “Goal Plus One,” phase enabled Vesterheim to invite the approximately 1,600 Vesterheim members residing on the East and West Coasts, Arizona, and Florida to participate.
Funds from the “Goal Plus One” campaign have been used to support collections care, strategic planning and property acquisition, educational and outreach programs, and Vesterheim’s endowment.
“We appreciate all the good will and financial gifts of our many member-donors throughout the United States,” said campaign chair Jon Hart, Vesterheim trustee of Decorah.
Janet Blohm Pultz, Vesterheim’s executive director, noted that the campaign had strong support locally and widespread participation nationally. “We are very glad to have such good friends of Vesterheim both nearby and far away,” she said.
“A few of our major contributions came from
members of the museum who have never even been to Decorah,” said Bill
Musser, Vesterheim’s
development
director. Musser
noted that though these contributors are unable to make the trek
to Decorah very often, they are firmly behind the museum and its
mission.
“It has been inspiring to me to meet so many loyal friends of
Vesterheim in my travels from coast to coast,” Musser added.