DECEMBER 2017 El Paso County Courthouse Exterior at Night 1906 From the CSPM Collections
FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS FAMILY FUN DAY As December approaches, CSPM is excited to host the annual Festival of Lights Family Fun Day. This special holiday event has been a tradition at CSPM for more than thirty years and typically brings thousands of visitors to the museum. From 10 am to 2 pm on December 2nd, guests will enjoy holiday fun for the whole family, including performances, activities and demonstrations. Best of all, the event is free and open to the public, although a $3 suggested donation is appreciated. This year, the exciting roster of performances includes music and magic. Professor Higgins Magic Show will kick off the day’s performances, followed by concerts from Almagre Saxophone Quartet, Pikes Peak Youth Ringers and Colorado Springs Conservatory Carolers. Visitors will also have the opportunity to meet and greet local sports mascots. The museum will be filled with festive activity stations. At the United States Postal Service booth, children can write and mail letters to Santa Claus. Other fun activities include balloon art by Marvelous Marc, face painting and holiday crafts. Guests of all ages will love the Slim Rails Model Train display and demonstrations by the Pikes Peak Weavers Guild and Rocky Mountain Lace Guild. Of course, it would not be a CSPM event without fun, interactive learning! Colorado Springs Trails & Open Spaces will teach visitors more about local wildlife, while CSPM will have Hands on History stations located throughout the museum. Face painting & holiday crafts Although Festival of Lights Family Fun Day officially ends at 2 pm, there is still more holiday fun to be had around the museum. From 3:30 to 4:30 pm, visitors will enjoy a special performance by the jazz quartet Lincoln Street Brass in the museum lobby. After the museum closes for the day, head outside to watch the 33rd annual Festival of Lights Parade, which will travel down Tejon Street at 5:50 pm. During the parade, CSPM staff members will be outside the museum handing out free cookies and hot cocoa. Immediately following the parade, the museum will light up with the debut of CSPM’s 4th annual holiday light show. We look forward to sharing this magical holiday tradition with the community. For details and the full schedule of events, visit cspm.org/festivaloflights Partner Spotlight MUSELETTER DECEMBER 2017 | PG 3
DECEMBER 2017 EVENTS Festival of Lights Family Fun Day Saturday, December 2nd (10:00 am – 2:00 pm) Join the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum for our annual FREE holiday celebration. Enjoy festive holiday performances, crafts, demonstrations and activities led by CSPM staff and talented organizations from our local community! Don’t miss this special tradition that’s brought magic to the Pikes Peak region for more than 30 years! For a full schedule of the day’s events, visit cspm.org/festivaloflights RSVP at www.cspm.org/rsvp-for-an-event/ or call 719-385- 5990 Folklore – A Joint Benefit Recital for the Chamber Orchestra of the Springs and CSPM Friday, December 29th (7:30 pm) Enjoy a night of music benefiting both the Chamber Orchestra of the Springs and CSPM. This special recital features Pam Chaddon, cellist and Judy Bridewell Biondini, pianist, playing works for cello and piano inspired by fables, folksongs and dances from Hungary, Slovakia, Israel, Romania, Germany and England. Tickets are $20 per person. To purchase tickets, visit the Chamber Orchestra of the Springs website: www.chamberorchestraofthesprings.org MUSELETTER DECEMBER 2017 | PG 4
MUSEUM SPOTLIGHT! This December, we say goodbye to our Education Assistant, Jessica Green, and fall Education Intern, Jessica Bondolillo. We asked each of them to share about their experience with the museum. Jessica Green, Education Assistant Jessica Green is a Colorado Native. She’s always loved CSPM and first discovered it on her 4th grade field trip. She attended the University of Colorado-Boulder where she graduated with a double major in History and the Humanities. “I started at the museum as an Education Intern during the fall of 2016. As an Intern I helped with the school and family programs. In May of 2017 I was selected for the part-time role of Education Assistant. My main task was to supervise the Junior Docent program and other summer activities. This fall I’ve supported the museum’s busy school program schedule and prepped for upcoming events. I feel like I learn something new every day! I’ve learned how to successfully develop programs and how to work with a variety of museum audiences. I love seeing guests have “a-ha” moments when they discover something new. I’ve also greatly enjoyed my time working with the Junior Docents and watching them grow as interpreters. As my time Left-Jessica Green, Right-Jessica Biondolillo here concludes, I plan to continue working at Hillside Community Center at their Elementary After School Program and am beginning to look into graduate programs.” Jessica Biondolillo, Education Intern Jessica Biondolillo is currently in her last semester of her undergraduate program at UCCS. She is majoring in Anthropology and minoring in Museum Studies and Gallery Management. This is her second museum internship. Previously she worked with the Heller Center for Arts and Humanities in archival and exhibition development. “During my time with the museum, I learned how to develop and execute museum programs and events. I have enjoyed working with children during school programs and teaching them about different aspects of the museum and cultures from the region. My most memorable moment was co-leading a school program station with a museum volunteer. It was the first time either of us had led the station this year. We had a lot of fun figuring out the station together and both learned a great deal. I graduate from UCCS December 15th and would like to continue working in different kinds of museums. I enjoy museum work because I learn something new every day, find it intellectually stimulating and get to have a creative outlet.” Please join us in wishing both Jessica Green and Jessica Biondolillo well in their future endeavors! Thank you for all you have done for the museum! MUSELETTER DECEMBER 2017 | PG 6
CSPM Exterior Painting Project By: Matt Mayberry, Museum Director Have you noticed construction crews, trucks and lifts on the museum grounds? Beginning in October, local contractor TECC Painting began a painting project on the exterior of the 1903 El Paso County Courthouse. Crews will scrape, make minor repairs, and paint all of the building’s 145 windows and 10 doorways. The project is funded in part by a grant from History Colorado’s State Historical Fund, and it is a major component of the final phase of the museum exterior renovation project. Crews hope to have their work completed by the end of the year. The remaining objectives for Phase V includes interior window finishes and repairs to windows and doors that need more specialized rehabilitation and treatment. This work will be completed in 2018. MUSEUM STORE Gifts Artisans Jewelry Books Skip the mall or the hassle of scouting for deals online and shop at the CSPM Museum Store, where there is always a friendly face to greet you! We have fantastic holiday gifts, including: • Jaw-dropping table-top lighted Christmas trees by Anne Drake, local artisan ($7-$75) • Beautiful, one-of-a-kind jewelry by local artists • Old-fashioned stocking stuffers for kids of all ages • Delicious ribbon-candy, reminiscent of Michelle’s, from Fort Collins Enjoy a Special Gift for Museum Members! Museum Members will receive a 20% discount AND a free gift from December 1st through December 23rd MUSELETTER DECEMBER 2017 | PG 7
WAYS TO GIVE The Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum (CSPM) has a rich history in the community dating back to 1896 when the El Paso County Pioneers Association began collecting the artifacts and stories of the Pikes Peak region’s original settlers. For 121 years, CSPM has built lasting connections to the Pikes Peak region by preserving and sharing the region’s cultural history!! HOW CAN I HELP? Annual Fund By giving to the Annual Fund, you support CSPM’s exhibits and programs, like The Story of Us and the upcoming League of Wives exhibits or the Hands on History and Junior Docents programs. In addition to exhibit and public programs, the museum also focuses on critical preservation, research and collections management tasks and employing best practices with regards to collections stewardship. Unrestricted gifts of cash, checks or credit cards are directed to areas of greatest need. Gifts may also be made online at: http://weblink.donorperfect.com/cspmdonatenow Taking advantage of the El Paso County’s Enterprise Zone Tax Credit can help you stretch your gift’s impact (see benefits in example below)! Gifts of $250+ are eligible for a 25% tax credit. Please make your check payable to: El Paso County Enterprise Zone and write CSPM and the last four digits of your SSN in the memo line. MUSELETTER DECEMBER 2017 | PG 8
Ways to Give (cont.) Give! For the second consecutive year, CSPM is honored to be a member of the Give! class. Gifts can be made from November 1 – December 31, 2017 through the Give! campaign at: www.indygive.com/cspm Gifts of Stocks and Appreciated Securities CSPM can accept gifts of appreciated securities and stocks, offering you a tax advantaged donation. Long-term securities - The tax law permits a charitable deduction of the current full fair market value of the securities, up to 30% of adjusted gross income, with a five-year carry-over option. In addition, the securities are not subject to a tax on the capital gain and must have been held more than one year. Short-term securities - The Internal Revenue Service considers these securities ordinary income property and must be held less than one year. Thus, a charitable deduction may be taken only for the securities’ original cost. 70½ or Older and Own an IRA? If you are 70 1/2 or older, there is something you should know. Congress passed a law that lets you do something special with your IRA to reduce taxes, but you must act before December 31st. IRA rollovers allow you to avoid taxes when you transfer funds from your IRA directly. Transfer up to $100,000 this year to a qualified nonprofit, and your gift will count against your required distribution, reducing your income and taxes. Planned Giving Planned giving involves planning responsibly for the future and helping your favorite charity at the same time. Options include wills, bequests, life insurance, qualified retirement plans, real estate, charitable remainder trusts, gift annuities among others, while offering opportunities to make a substantial impact and gain significant tax advantages. Become a Part of the Inaugural Clock Tower Society Clock Tower Society donors make three year (or longer) commitments of support at or above $1,000 annually. CSPM encourages individuals, corporations and foundations to consider making multi-year commitments to cultivate a deeper level of engagement to ensure that our community forever remains a place where active minds flourish. Receive invitations to special events, receptions, personal “behind the scenes” tours and exclusive access to local, regional, national and international trips with CSPM staff to gain a deeper connection to history and culture. For more information on how you can make a gift and be a vital part of CSPM’s success, please contact: Lance James, Development Director (719) 385-5633 or LJAMES@SPRINGSGOV.COM Disclaimer: Consult with your tax advisor to determine whether your donation is tax deductible in whole or in part. Nothing in this communication is intended to substitute or constitute legal or tax advice. MUSELETTER DECEMBER 2017 | PG 9
CSPM HAPPENINGS Halloween History Hunt 2017 CSPM Volunteers Scavenger Hunt complete! Plenty of fantastic costumes! Junior Docents help out MUSELETTER DECEMBER 2017 | PG 10
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