JAHA's current capital campaign, "Preserving Our Heritage: Revitalizing Our Community," will raise $8.05 million for the Johnstown Children's Museum and other JAHA projects, including the "Mystery of Steel" Theater, Festival Park, and more. Check this site often for updates on this campaign.

The 1889 Society
Click here for a downloadable pledge card; and here for a downloadable 1889 Society brochure; or visit the online donation page. On the 10th Anniversary of the 1889 Johnstown Flood, the Reverend David Beale recorded his thoughts on "the most appalling calamity of modern times," which killed 2,209 people and caused $17 million in property damage. Beale, the author of the best eyewitness account of the disaster, wrote simply, "I hope my book lives."
The Rev. Beale's book does live - and recently the Johnstown Area Heritage Association obtained a previously unknown collection of Beale's photos, diaries, and other flood memorabilia. This remarkable collection will be exhibited permanently at the Johnstown Flood Museum after renovations to be completed by 2009, the 120th anniversary of the flood.
The Johnstown Flood Museum (pictured at right) has been the area's premier attraction since its reopening in 1989, attracting more than 750,000 visitors from across the nation and world. Its honors and awards include an Academy Award for the Guggenheim film "The Johnstown Flood." The formation of The 1889 Society will show all who visit the museum and other attractions in the Johnstown Discovery Network that Johnstown remembers the tragic, inspiring story of the flood, and its heroic people, and is committed to sharing it with the world.
The 1889 Society - A Community Response The 1889 Society has been formed as part of JAHA's current capital campaign, "Preserving Our Heritage: Revitalizing Our Community," which is designed to help JAHA complete the Johnstown Discovery Network. A group of community leaders have formed a committee to lead the effort. The minimum contribution is $4,000, which may be paid out over five years (at about $2.25 per day) or any other payment options you choose. The goal for the overall campaign is $8,050,000, while the goal for the 1889 Society is $3,500,000. The 1889 Society already has about 60 members who have contributed more than $3.2 million against that goal, leaving less than $300,000 remaining to be raised. We can do it, but only with your help.
Your contribution is more important now than ever. As part of its campaign, JAHA was honored to be awarded a $500,000 challenge grant from the Kresge Foundation. However, to receive the $500,000, JAHA must achieve its campaign goal through contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations. Your membership in the 1889 Society will go a long way towards assuring that JAHA earns this very prestigious national award. When you join The 1889 Society, you will receive recognition on a plaque to be installed in the Flood Museum before it reopens in 2009, as well as other benefits associated with JAHA membership (for details, see the benefits listed below). Most importantly, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you're helping preserve the stories of Johnstown for generations to come.
Benefits of the 1889 Society All 1889 Society members will receive the following benefits: their names on a plaque located in a very visible space in the Flood Museum; an 1889 Society medallion featuring the Society's logo; a lapel pin; and an invitation to an annual dinner. In addition, members will receive the benefits listed below according to their giving levels:
$1,000,000+ Major Naming Opportunity Lifetime Membership in JAHA Free Use of Facilities Once a Year for Life $500,000+ Major Naming Opportunity Lifetime Membership in JAHA Use of Facilities Free Once a Year for Ten Years $100,000+ Naming Opportunity Ten-Year Membership in JAHA Use of Facilities Free Once a Year for Three years $50,000+ Naming Opportunity Five Year Membership in JAHA Use of Facilities Free Once a Year for Two Years $25,000+ Two-Year Membership in JAHA Use of Facilities Free for One Year $4,000+ One-Year Membership in JAHA
Click here for a downloadable pledge card, and here for a downloadable 1889 Society brochure. For more information about the campaign and the 1889 Society, contact JAHA Development Director Patti Genovese at 814-539-1889 ext. 309.
The 1889 Society Committee Chair: Mitchell Azar Members: Mary P. Borkow Richard Burkert Ronald Carnevali (Ex Officio) Patti Genovese Thomas Kurtz Deborah Herbert Matthew Lorditch Mark Pasquerilla (Ex Officio) Edward Sheehan