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“Pennies from Heaven” for You and Me ... and Louis
Louis Armstrong wrote the above during the last year of his life. He was describing the house he loved - his home for almost three decades in the Corona section of New York. Very soon, with the help of many friends, we will be able to open this historic house and share an important part of Louis's life with his neighbors and his fans from all over the world.
In the spring of 2001, in Louis's beautiful garden, we introduced our "Pennies from Heaven" campaign. The evening was sponsored by the KeySpan Corporation and the KeySpan Foundation, and included the unveiling of the Satchmobile, a natural gas-fueled van presented to the Louis Armstrong House & Archives by KeySpan CEO Robert Catell. The goal of the "Pennies from Heaven" campaign is to raise money for the day-to-day operating of the house. Our budget will triple once the house is open. There will be gardeners, tour guides and security guards on the payroll, as well as daily house tours, exhibits, and special programs for school groups and seniors. And then there's the conservation and upkeep of this landmark home and so much more.
It's a very exciting time for all of us at the Louis Armstrong House & Archives, but there's still much work ahead. "Pennies from Heaven," which takes its name from Armstrong's hit recording and film of the late 1930's, is a great way that you can help us make his house in Corona an active museum and a lasting tribute to one of the most important cultural figures in the 20th Century. Your special one-time gift or a multi-year pledge to our "Pennies from Heaven" campaign will be used to establish a Louis Armstrong House & Archives Endowment Fund and will help us cover the general operating expenses of the house, including:
Louis and Lucille were very proud of their home in Corona, and so are we. In the past year, our number of members of the Louis Armstrong House & Archives has doubled and interest in this simple house that will soon be a historical museum grows each day. We hope you will consider participating in our "Pennies from Heaven" campaign. A wide variety of benefits are available including naming opportunities at our Visitors Center and a "What a Wonderful World" Wall of Fame for major contributors, to listing in our dedication program and complimentary passes to the museum. Please remember that corporate matching gifts are a terrific way to double your gift. Please make checks payable to the Louis Armstrong House & Archives and mail to:
If you would like to use a credit card to make your gift, please click here. |
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