You want the German Village Society to be visionary and to lead.
What does a successful, preserved urban neighborhood need today? What should it look like 10 years from now? And 20 years from now?
The critical component of leveraging our history and our success is having the right staff in place and keeping them working to create relationships and expectations and to see the projects and programs through that make the neighborhood better.
This is how we work to make things happen with the city, county and state.
Three years ago, you — our donors — saw the gap created by the absence of a preservation expert on staff and you helped us hire that position. There are many visible examples of the results of this commitment.
At the same time, you don’t want the Society to forget that we are a community first and foremost.
You love our annual events and have a lot of pride in our Meeting Haus and Visitor Center, both of which are central to our mission.
Our strategic plan documents the many things you would like to see happen such as improved sidewalks, a stronger focus on safety, completing the Third Street project, signage, and more.
While some of these items are quite ambitious, this community has been always been up for a challenge.
We set the bar high for the renovation and upkeep of our personal properties. We want German Village Society to set the bar high for our future as a community.
We believe we can accomplish great things for our wonderful German Village. But … only with your dedication and support.
How will these things happen?
The German Village Society Board of Trustees began last year by engaging two of the region’s top professionals in fundraising and development — Sharon Steele and Kerri Mollard.
During several months they dug into our history, digested the strategic plan, interviewed some of you, had in-depth discussions with the trustees and staff, and much more.
Then, in April 2016, the trustees adopted a comprehensive development plan. The purpose: to enable the Society to take the next steps toward greater sustainability, including responding to many of the priorities identified in the Strategic Plan.
To be sure, our trustees lead the way in giving — averaging nearly $3,000 in annual individual gifts through their membership, in-kind gifts and donations.
Now, we are beginning a series of conversations that we trust will engage your reflections and your aspirations.
We have committed to move the needle on these significant projects.
We are counting on you to help us accomplish these goals.
We hope you will begin to think now about what drives your pride and passion for German Village.
As you do so, consider what you’d invest in the Society to carry out the answers to that question.
We are listening.
We want to match your passions with our projects to protect and enhance our special historic neighborhood.