Battery Hooper Days needs help!

I know this entry may come across as almost self-serving and apologize if that is the case, but it is a message I wish to spread to as many people as possible. If you know any Civil War or history fans in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area (or anywhere), please feel free to share this information.

As we all are much too aware, the economy has struggled recently (counting today's wild ride on Wall Street) and that has had an impact on many people and events

Unfortunately, the James A. Ramage Civil War Museum is not immune to these problems, as a kind and excellent recent article in the Kentucky Enquirer points out.

Battery Hooper Days is our biggest event of the year, with over 1300 people having attended its 2 days last August. It is free to the public and is very family-friendly, with activities for the Civil War and history buff as well as for the children. Re-enactors set up a Civil War encampment, while another local group provides a cannon - hearing it fire is simply awesome. A local ladie's historical group provides a glimpse into the lives of women of the Civil War period and some of the fashions that were popular at the time, while other living historians add to the festivities. Children love the petting zoo that annually brings a flock of animals to display.It is a very popular local event, one that is perfect for families to attend for a few hours each year.

With funding for the event now falling on the hands of the museum and we who serve on its board, time is now ticking and going quickly. We are beginning a campaign to raise funds to help ensure the event takes place again this year. If we can raise at least $2500 by June 30th, it will be a go. We may be able to put it on with fewer dollars than that, but if we can reach that goal, there will be no question about it at all.

This is the beginning of a new era for the museum, not only for Battery Hooper Days, but for the museum's future operating funding as well. It will be quite a challenge for us, but, as President of the museum's Board of Directors this year, I am committed to having another successful Battery Hooper Days and keeping the museum running for years to come.

If anyone is interested in providing donations or sponsorships, please contact me, or you can send a check, payable to the James A. Ramage Civil War Museum (you may want to add "Battery Hooper Days" in the memo section) to:

The City of Fort Wright
409 Kyles Lane
Fort Wright KY 41011

Thank you, as always, for reading my ramblings and, in this case, for understanding the need for this message. As the sesquicentennial of the Civil War approaches, in the midst of a still-struggling economy, it's time to begin the fight to ensure that the Civil War period, though long gone, need not be forgotten.