The Beaumont Heritage Society was established over 50 years ago. Within 10 years, the organization boasted over 800 members! Members who saw the importance of historic preservation for the future of historic education – a mission that began with the John Jay French Museum. Today, a challenging year has seen Beaumont Heritage Society’s membership base dwindle to below 160 members. This creates additional challenges for an organization who relies on annual fees to help out with expensive preservation projects, educational outreach, and things like keeping the AC running in the historic home.
As a reminder of what annual dues do for us, here are 5 reasons your membership counts to BHS:
1. Money from membership dues feed directly into the 1845 John Jay French Museum, one of Beaumont’s oldest educational resources.
The John Jay French Museum is currently undergoing a major preservation project to address moisture issues in the upstairs room as a result of both damaging hurricanes and humidity. The organization uses grants and membership fees to help offset the costs of major projects.
2. Membership dues help offset the cost of school tours and educational outreach programs.
Every year, the museum reaches hundreds of kids through school tours and educational outreach programs like Camp Lookinback. The cost for public school districts to bring kids through the museum is just $1 per student and is set low to remain accessible to all students! This wouldn’t be possible without our members and annual dues to help offset the cost. Your memberships keep the museum affordable, getting kids out from behind their desk and stepping into history.
3. Your membership helps us put on events like Heritage Happy Hours and the Pumpkin Walk.
Events like Heritage Happy Hours and the Pumpkin Walk wouldn’t happen without membership dues. Dues help offset the cost of materials for things like children’s craft supplies at the Pumpkin Walk and Christmas Candlelight Tour! The funds from annual dues help us put on the events AND the events help us raise even more money as fundraisers and membership drives!
4. Memberships help us raise awareness for our organization and mission.
You help introduce other people to our mission. Telling friends and family about us and interacting with us online helps our visibility. Those friends and family are more likely to become members and there is no better method of communication and recommendation than word of mouth.
5. Your membership ensures that Beaumont’s heritage is not forgotten.
Your membership doesn’t just help us in the present day. Just like the members in the early days, it helps preserve future historical education and ensures that our heritage is not forgotten. Without membership, our organization and the John Jay French Museum would not survive.
If you’d like to join for any or all of these reasons, you can do so here.
