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Arab American National Museum Announces Completion of Helen Thomas Sculpture Fundraising Campaign
The Arab American National Museum (AANM) is happy to announce that the $10,000 fundraising goal to complete the Helen Thomas sculpture has been met with one week to spare in the 45-day campaign. As of this morning, $10,031 has been pledged to the project.
Fundraising continues at www.kickstarter.com through the established deadline of 11:59 p.m. EDT Friday, Sept. 10. Reaching the $10,000 goal ensures disbursement of donations to the AANM; under the Kickstarter model, if the campaign had not earned $10,000 by Sept. 10, all donation transactions would have been cancelled and no money at all would have come to the project.
The campaign not only made possible this important addition to the Arab American National Museum, it is also an excellent example of a cost-effective fundraising method supported by social-media promotion. This was the Museum’s first such foray and due to its success, is unlikely to be its last.
Helen Thomas, the recently retired “Dean of the White House Press Corps,” is a legendary journalist and Arab American. Thomas was born in Kentucky to Lebanese immigrant parents but raised primarily in Detroit, Michigan, where she graduated from Wayne State University. Thomas covered presidential administrations from Eisenhower through Obama, working more than five decades for United Press International (UPI) and later for Hearst Newspapers. She marked her 90th birthday in August 2010.
The sculpture, by former White House photographer and Virginia-based artist Susan Tinsley McElhinney, is presently in production. It is hoped, but not yet confirmed, that the sculpture might arrive at the Arab American National Museum sometime late this year.
Museum Director Dr. Anan Ameri issued this statement today:
“We are so very grateful to each of the 76 donors who stepped forward to meet this challenge on behalf of a woman whose long career has opened doors for Arab Americans and women of all backgrounds, and who has contributed so much toward fulfilling American journalism’s vital role as the ‘watchdog of democracy.’
“It has been exhilarating to watch this campaign unfold. It has not only raised money but also awareness of Helen’s achievements and of our Museum, which is just five years old and the only one of its kind in the world. And it’s been gratifying to meet both new and returning donors online in this fashion, using technology to make relationships with minimal expense.
“We also appreciated the chance to thank each donor with a small reward, such as free admissions, free guided tours and free Museum publications, which is built into the Kickstarter plan. That way we give a little back to those who support us, beyond our heartfelt ‘thank you.’”