Tuesday, October 12, 2010

The Journey!

Memberships have enabled The Museum At Warm Springs to continue to preserve advance and share the knowledge of the cultural, traditional and artistic heritage of The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.  It is because of members that we have been able to progress on this remarkable Journey together as friends caring for The Museum at Warm Springs as a community. We sincerely thank you!

The Museum At Warm Springs is continuing the Journey. The Museum would like to kindly inform you of our Year-End Giving Campaign “The Journey”, requesting year-end Donations and membership renewals. Year-end donations are also great breaks during tax season, as you know we are a 501(c)(3) Not-For-Profit Educational organization. As friends and members helping to keep a precious and award-winning facility in beautiful condition, we can continue the Journey of sharing, serving, and educating visitors around the world.

To help in this effort to care for the facility, we have cut our already lean operating expense budget by approximately 20% (staff is doing more for less, stretching every dollar as far as possible), seeking donations, and reaching out to past friends, contributors, and donors to ask for assistance in this Journey.

We are digging deep to contribute what we can with less than ever before, and we are asking you to join us in this important effort.

In spite of difficult economic times, we are pleased to share positive developments and news! We have:

1.     Obtained adequate funding for exhibits and continue providing a world-class experience for members and visitors.
2.     A new Master Plan for the Permanent Exhibit we are working on.
3.     The outdoor Twanat Trail in development, a collective vision of friends and supporters of The Museum.
4.     The Warm Springs Canoe Project and Family, now titled N’chi Wanapum (Big River People), has received regional praises for the its success and positive outreach efforts.
5.     The expanded marketing efforts of The Museum have grown tremendously to include online social networking, community interaction, promotions, graphical presentation, and expanded online presence.
6.     Made improvements to our website (www.museumatwarmsprings.org) and development systems to better serve our members.
7.     Introduced a new online newsletter to keep you better informed about museum activities via email. 
8.     Updated our lighting and sound throughout the Permanent Exhibit and Gallery
9.     A Board of Directors who approved and finalized a strategic plan that was supplemented by new business and development plans.

The Board of Directors approved and finalized a strategic plan and was supplemented by new business and development plans just this year. These actions have helped to ensure that The Museum At Warm Springs is able to address future needs and sustain the organization for generations to come – the essence of our mission.

Please consider a tax break by making a donation today. Or better yet, because The Museum At Warm Springs is a Member of the Oregon Cultural Trust, donate to both and receive a Tax Credit! Visit culturaltrust.org/donate.php for more information.

Oregon is fortunate to have the high quality, moving experience provided by The Museum at Warm Springs.  We are more than a museum: we are a living history and a repository for the culture that once spanned across our state from the crest of the Cascade Mountains east to the Blue Mountains, and from the Columbia River south beyond present day Bend, OR.

In honor of your gift, youth of Warm Springs have created a hand-made token, representing the spirit of the Confederated Tribes of Warms Springs that we will send to you, in appreciation of your beautiful gift.


Please feel welcome to call me at 541-553-3331 or email: jgreene@wstribes.org


On behalf of the people of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, whose past we honor and preserve, and whose future we dream, thank you for your kind generosity.


P.S. For information on business memberships, please visit our website at The Museum At Warm Springs


Any donation amount will help us meet our current needs, and we look forward to sharing membership benefits with you at any level you choose.  Thank you.

September Newsletter




Baskets Tell A Story Exhibit
The “Baskets Tell A Story” Exhibit featuring basketry of stories, legends, and history of the community of Warm Springs, other Indigenous Nations and beyond is still on display. This beautiful display of basketry tells the ancient stories through the art of weaving. Please bring your families, artists, and weavers to check out this one of kind beautiful exhibit of basketry and history before it closes October 10th!

N’chi Wanapum (Big River People) Canoe Family
The Museum At Warm Springs’ newest project, the N’chi Wanapum Canoe Family Project has been able to receive great support from the community and beyond. Just recently, the Canoe Family went ahead to venture to the Salmon Celebration 2010 in Coos Bay, OR hosted by the Coos and Coquille Tribes of the Oregon Coast. Featuring Native Dancing, drumming, canoeing, traditional food, craft making, and canoe races, the weekend was an excellent weekend to remember. In the Youth and Adult divisions, the canoe family took second in both categories and now looking forward to next years! 

Grants
The Spirit Mountain Community Fund recently gifted The Museum At Warm Springs with $32,000 for our Engaging The Future Project in development. The project consists of expanding our educational aspects and interactive displays throughout the exhibit. With the help of the Spirit Mountain Community Fund, we are sure we can continue to believe in our efforts and our dreams!

17th Annual Tribal Member Art Show Begins October 21st!
Central Oregon is a beautiful and bountiful country of traditional lands to the local Indigenous People. The beauty of our country positively contributes to inspiring the creative arts and artists of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Mark your calendars for another one of the Museum’s most extravagant exhibitions featuring our most eloquent and expressive art shows of the year! Attend the opening reception on October 21st.

“Join The Journey” Begins October 1st!
Housing our family history, heirlooms, and heritage, community members of Warm Springs and The Museum At Warm Springs benefits greatly from caring individuals who generously decide to become members of the Museum. “Join the Journey” is a membership campaign to help us preserve, advance and share the knowledge and stories of the cultural, traditional and artistic heritage of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Memberships help directly in this effort. Becoming a Museum Member for only $25 allows us to build that better relationship with our visitors, donors, and surrounding communities. The memberships also make it possible to continue programs that serve and inform the community and our visitors about Oregon’s Native People.

Just In Time for the Holidays! “Native American Heritage Art Market”
Right around the holidays are great times to catch some of the greatest ideas and breathtaking Native American art. So for this year’s Holiday Planning, mark your calendar for the Native American Heritage Art Market on November 27 (Saturday) 9 AM to 4 PM and November 28 (Sunday) 10 AM – 2 PM, 2010 at The Museum At Warm Springs.

 Living Traditions
The ancient livelihoods of the Warm Springs people have continued to survive in many ways. The Museum At Warm Springs appreciates the arts, works, and teachings of the local community so much that we’ve continued our Living Traditions Program at the Museum on weekends throughout the summer season.

Every Wednesday, The Museum At Warm Springs showcased the beautiful arts and dances of the Warm Springs people to guests of Warm Springs and visitors of the Museum. View the last performance and presentation of the beautiful and ancient dances of the Warm Springs with your own eyes this week, September 22nd.

Stay Up To Date and In The Loop!
The Museum At Warm Springs likes to interact and connect with our guests, fans, visitors, members, and the community, which is certainly our pleasure. Catch our updates on Photobucket.com, Facebook.com, Twitter.com, and www.MuseumAtWarmSprings.org. Please feel free to stop by those sites to simply say hello or get the weekly and monthly updates from the Museum At Warm Springs!