In this week’s update: tax credits for Pavilion fundraising progress, museum on KSN Good Day Kansas, new project grants from Humanities Kansas, and more!
In our weekly update, keep up to date on what staff and volunteers at the Lindsborg Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum are working on to lift up the history of Lindsborg and the surrounding region. This weekly update both looks back at what happened last week and looks ahead at what’s coming.
For July 1-7, 2024:
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- Fundraising continues strongly under the Community Service Program (CSP) Tax Credits through the Kansas Department of Commerce, with commitments received on 36% of the available credits! We’ve had 19 individuals and families contribute to this progress to the tune of $86,250 – But have we heard from you yet?
Any Kansas resident can qualify to receive back a 70% fully refundable tax credit on their Kansas return with a donation of $250 or more to the project! The available tax credits will be used to enhance fundraising efforts for the Pavilion Restoration & Improvement Project. The credits are expected to raise $238,000 in donations, which will fully cover critical stabilization repairs to prevent collapse of the historic structure.
Visit HERE to learn more about the tax credits program and how you can help contribute to the project!
While the tax credit grant incentive is a great way to spur giving, it will help to fund critical structural repairs and part of a new roof on the 1904 World’s Fair Swedish Pavilion only if individuals, families, and organizations step forward to give under the program’s tax credit opportunity. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by!
- The museum was on a special segment for KSN television’s Good Day Kansas program last week! Did you miss it? Don’t worry, it’s available to view online at your convenience! Check it out in the embedded video below!
- Fundraising continues strongly under the Community Service Program (CSP) Tax Credits through the Kansas Department of Commerce, with commitments received on 36% of the available credits! We’ve had 19 individuals and families contribute to this progress to the tune of $86,250 – But have we heard from you yet?
- We received word last week that the museum was awarded two great grants from Humanities Kansas! We are receiving $3,438 for digitization of historic Svensk Hyllningsfest photos and artifacts, as well as $2,000 for a seven-part online speaker series about local history! We are very excited about the public service opportunities these grants are making possible. Watch for more details here in our weekly updates as they develop!
- Bids will close on this Friday, July 12 to repair the Academy Building roof. Visit HERE for full details and scope of work to submit a bid.
- Work has continued on adding photos to the Historic Image Database with help from grant funding from the Smoky Valley Community Foundation!
- The Museum Handy Crew continued restoration work last week on the 1908 Dempster No. 9 windmill on Heritage Square.
- Registration is open for an hourlong genealogy workshop on July 13 on the FamilySearch tool! That’s THIS Saturday! Sign up for this great opportunity today before you miss it!
- This Saturday, July is Christmas in July in Lindsborg! Stop by the museum gift shop to pick up your Christmas Cards, an Old Mill themed ornament, wheat-weaving holiday ornaments, or Old Mill Mint holiday peppermint/Oreo ice cream!
- Sunflower Summer is here! Now through August 11 with the Sunflower Summer app, Kansas students and their parents/guardians can get free admission to the museum! While you’re at it, use the app to also get free admission to more than 220 attractions and events across the State of Kansas!
- NOW OPEN: “Skeleton-Of-Dog… Selected Geology & Natural History Artifacts from the Bethany College Collection Archives” is a temporary mini-exhibit at the museum featuring some unique artifacts not seen in public for decades!
- Our Endowment Campaign 2025 is ongoing to add $1 million to our endowment in supporting our annual operational budget to make sure that not only do we preserve these historical treasures, but we can also “keep the lights on.” Read more on the flyer and giving form below, or visit to www.oldmillmuseum.org/donations to learn more!
Thank you to our museum volunteers!
Jerry Sperling, Cathy Ahlstedt, Betty Amos, Julie Ann Neywick, Jim Turner, Mike Lynam, Les Sperling, Jerry Hammerton, Leland Nelson, and Karmon Almquist!