Keeping museum afloat more than a worthy pursuit
February 4, 2009
By Administrator
Editorial:
It’s a fixture of Snoqualmie. It provides summer entertainment for the entire Valley. And it brings in a projected $2 million yearly to the local economy.
It also is on the brink of being forced to close its doors for the summer.
Due to another round of flooding, the Northwest Railway Museum in downtown Snoqualmie has fallen on hard times. Tracks that run the museum’s train around the Valley have sustained an estimated $100,000 in damages. The museum has six weeks to repair the tracks before the start of its annual summer events, but currently doesn’t have the money to do so.
This is a critical time for one of the most beloved treasures of the Valley. If the museum doesn’t get the tracks repaired, it will not be able to run the train this summer and its primary source of revenue will become obsolete.
The museum has some options. The best-case scenario would be getting money for repairs from an organization like 4Culture. But, with the current state of the economy, endowments are down across the board and little money appears available. The museum will not likely get any help from FEMA, which opted to stop sending repair money for museums eight years ago.
The worst-case scenario would see the museum getting a loan from the small business administration. This is not the preferred option because the last time the museum went this route it took more than a year to get the loan.
Regardless, we should all do our part to lend a hand. If the state of the economy makes you unable to send in a tax-deductible donation, then volunteering time would still be a big help. The more volunteers the museum receives, the less money it has to spend on projects.
If you want to help, call the museum at 888-3030. They would love to hear from you.
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