MOUNT VERNON, VA – George Washington’s Mount Vernon has embarked on a critical year-end fundraising campaign that will support urgent preservation needs at the estate of the nation’s first president. Through the Mount Vernon Preservation Challenge, the estate hopes to raise enough money to perform necessary repairs and restoration work on the iconic Mansion and the East Lawn overlooking the Potomac River. Donations can be made through mountvernon.org/preserve.
Recognizing the importance of protecting the estate for decades to come, a very generous and passionate Mount Vernon supporter, Karen Buchwald Wright of Mount Vernon, Ohio, has again issued the Mount Vernon Preservation Challenge. Through the end of 2017, Wright will match every $1 donated by December 31 with another $2—tripling the impact— to support Mount Vernon’s mission of historic preservation.
Embodying the spirit of Giving Tuesday, on November 28 Wright will match every $1 donated on that day with $3 of her own, quadrupling the value of each donation.
Some of Mount Vernon’s preservation projects include:
The Mansion’s Foundation: The Mansion’s masonry foundation and wood framing are deteriorating. The condition and stability of these critical elements must be addressed immediately to protect Washington’s iconic home from the impact of more than one million visitors each year.
The East Lawn Slope: After a severe August storm, a mudslide caused a large section of the historic brick wall located on this slope to collapse and part of the hillside to wash away. The East Lawn must be stabilized in order to prevent further erosion of Washington’s landscape and the estate’s rainwater drainage system must be overhauled.
The Mansion’s Exterior: In order to protect the Mansion’s eighteenth-century fabric from the weather and to maintain its historic appearance, Mount Vernon must strip off the many built up layers of modern paint, repair the siding, doors windows and shutters, then apply a fresh coat of paint and sand.
Mount Vernon does not accept government funding, instead relying upon donations from patriotic individuals and organizations.
For more information, please visit {staticroot}preserve.
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