Fund for Excellence in Publishing
20th Anniversary Friends Campaign Kicked Off September 1, 2022
As we celebrate Connecticut Explored’s 20th anniversary this fall, the Board of Connecticut Explored has announced The Fund for Excellence in Publishing. Board member Olivia White explained, “The Board sees this as an opportunity to honor the immense contributions of CTExplored’s retiring Founding Publisher, Elizabeth J. Normen, who has generously served without compensation for 20 years, and Assistant Publisher Mary Donohue, who will also retire after 9 years of service; the fund will also recognize the creative contributions of 20-year Art Director John Alves and the steadfast professional work of Editor of 17 years Jennifer LaRue, both of whom will continue with the publication.”
The Fund will help CTExplored transition to a paid Executive Director & Publisher position for the first time in 20 years and ensure our continuing excellence in publishing in the years to come.
The Fund is the focus of our Friends of Connecticut Explored annual appeal this year. The Board has set an ambitious $100,000 goal. White continued, “We invite you, our readers, subscribers, and Friends to make a generous donation to The Fund to celebrate 20 years of publication with us and honor those who have made it possible.” If you are a current donor, we thank you and hope that you stretch and even double your gift this year. It’s a bold ask, but this is an important milestone and a giant step for our organization. If you’re a first-time donor, please consider a $200 gift or more for our 20th year!
Keep reading for how to donate by check or credit card, from your donor-advised fund, IRA, or appreciated stock.
We appreciate your support and look forward to having you with us as we embark on our next 20 years!
How is this campaign different from your annual Friends campaign?
We’ve set an ambitious $100,000 goal so we’re asking our Friends to stretch and make significantly larger gifts than usual—maybe even double their usual gift.
We’re asking for multi-year gifts, for example a pledge of $200 this year, in 2023, and in 2024 for a total gift to the Fund for Excellence in Publishing of $600. This will help us know we have the funding to pay our new publisher for the first time in 20 years, and to cover unexacting printing cost increases due to the current global supply chain issues.
You can choose an area to honor: the overall contributions of dynamic duo Founding Publisher Elizabeth Normen and Assistant Publisher Mary Donohue, who are both retiring this year; or the outstanding design work of 20-year artistic director John Alves; or the outstanding editing of 17-year editor Jennifer LaRue.
You can make a gift by check, credit card, from a donor-advised fund, IRA, or appreciated stock