Thank you for Giving BIG!

Dozens of donors contributed thousands of dollars to the Northwest Railway Museum in support of steam and locomotive 924 during Give BIG! This annual charitable giving event is hosted by the Seattle Foundation and supports charities of all types and sizes across King County.  Thank you to everyone who supported this important initiative!

Give BIG on Tuesday, May 5!

May 5 is an opportunity to be a part of something truly remarkable.  May 5 is an opportunity to donate in support of the steam locomotive 924 rehabilitation.

The Seattle Foundation's annual giving event "Give BIG!" is scheduled for May 5 and the Northwest Railway Museum is participating.  This year, contributions will support the steam program, and specifically the efforts to rehabilitate the 1899-built steam locomotive 924 now underway in the Conservation and Restoration Center at the Railway History Center.

The new cistern for 924's tender is

taking shape on the floor of the

Conservation and Restoration Center.

Contributions received between midnight and midnight on Tuesday, May 5, 2015 via the Museum's gateway page on the Seattle Foundation's website will be eligible for a partial match from the Seattle Foundation, and will complete for a one of the "Golden Tickets," which is an additional $1,000 contribution.

Your support truly makes a difference, and will help put locomotive 924 back in steam for its second Century of service.  Make a contribution here on Tuesday, May 5 between midnight and midnight and be a part of something truly remarkable.

Locomotive 924 moves to the Conservation and Restoration Center in this

October 2014 image.

From Bad to Beautiful - inspired by you

Last year, The Seattle Foundation orchestrated an incredible one-day online giving event that - thanks to you - raised nearly $19,000 for the Northwest Railway Museum. It was the most successful single day of giving in the Museum’s history.

This year on May 2, from midnight to midnight Pacific Time, GiveBIG is happening again. But it's no same-old, same-old. Inspired by your recent comments on our Facebook page, the Northwest Railway Museum will direct funds raised during GiveBIG 2012 toward seats and upholstery on our interpretive railway.

FROM BAD TO BEAUTIFUL

Our last major seating effort was in 1998 when seats in coach 276 were reupholstered at a cost of more than $25,000. Now it’s time to continue the transformation. Will you participate in GiveBIG and help us raise another $25,000, so that older coach seats throughout the train may be restored to their former glory?

Each of the coaches was built about 100 years ago - between 1912 and 1915. When they were new, they were elegant. Today’s “bad to beautiful” effort will reclaim a little of that spirit and make a ride aboard the Snoqualmie Valley Railroad more enjoyable - and more authentic.

HERE’S HOW TO GROW YOUR GIFT ON MAY 2

On Wednesday, May 2, visit The Seattle Foundation’s online Giving Center between midnight and midnight Pacific Time. Make a donation of any size to the Northwest Railway Museum.

The Seattle Foundation and business sponsors will match a share of every donation made during that 24-hour period. BUT . . . the larger our percentage of the total amount of donations made to all nonprofits during that day, the larger our percentage of the matching stretch pool.

If you give just once to the Northwest Railway Museum, please give on May 2.

WANT A REMINDER?

• If you'd like to receive an email reminder on May 2, please subscribe to our (approximately monthly) e-newsletter. We'll send a brief reminder the morning of May 2.
• We'll also post The Seattle Foundation's online Giving Center link on our website and on our Facebook page on May 2.
• RSVP on the GiveBIG 2012: From Bad to Beautiful event page we created. We'll send a brief reminder message via Facebook.
  

Thank you for participating in this “bad to beautiful” transformation! Thanks, also, to event sponsors, including JP Morgan Chase & Co, Microsoft, Seattle International Foundation, and Seattle Sounders FC. Over the years, The Seattle Foundation has given the Northwest Railway Museum several generous grants in support of general operating expenses and the Railway History Center Train Shed capital campaign. They have our continuing gratitude.

GiveBIG to make giving history June 23

How would you like to be part of what promises to be the biggest community-wide, charitable giving day in King County history?

GiveBIG is an online giving challenge benefiting King County nonprofit organizations. Any donation you make to the Northwest Railway Museum through The Seattle Foundation's online Giving Center between 7:00 AM and midnight, Thursday, June 23, will be stretched further, thanks to The Seattle Foundation and GiveBIG sponsors.

The Museum values The Seattle Foundation as a supporter and funder. The Foundation currently supports a “complex fabric of issues” through a countywide philanthropic agenda called A Healthy Community. We’re deeply moved by the importance A Healthy Community places on arts and culture as well as basic needs, education, economy, environment, health and other issues.

Over the years, The Seattle Foundation has given the Museum several generous grants in support of general operating expenses and the Railway History Center Train Shed capital campaign. Now The Seattle Foundation and GiveBIG sponsors have arranged to stretch donations made by you and other involved community members next week during one special day of giving. Funds received by the Museum will support collection care, including our interpretive railway, and help complete the track leading into the Train Shed exhibit building.

Here's how GiveBIG works:

1) Please visit our page in The Seattle Foundation Giving Center on Thursday, June 23.

2) On that day, the Donate Now button will reveal a link for making credit card donations. Click and enter your donation and Visa or MasterCard information. That’s it!

The Museum will receive your gift plus a prorated portion of The Seattle Foundation's $500,000 stretch pool based on the total value of donations the Museum receives during the day.

In addition, if you're randomly selected to win a Golden Ticket some time during the day, you'll earn an additional $1,000 for the Northwest Railway Museum!

What can you do to get ready?

1) Mark your calendar today so you'll remember to make a gift Thursday, June 23, between 7:00 AM and midnight.

2) “Attend” the Museum’s GiveBIG event on Facebook.

3) Check out The Seattle Foundation’s GiveBIG event page.

4) Rally your friends through Facebook, Twitter ((#GiveBIG)), email, phone and good old face-to-face. Every donation made to the Museum through The Seattle Foundation Giving Center between 7:00 AM and midnight on June 23 will increase the Museum's share of the $500,000 stretch pool!

We know the power of one when acting in sync with other committed individuals. Exactly one year ago today, we learned that Chapel Car 5 Messenger of Peace had been awarded a generous grant from Partners in Preservation because of your ardent response to an online voting campaign. Thank you for being part of such a wonderful, active community of friends and supporters! We hope you’ll join us on June 23 for The Seattle Foundation’s GiveBIG event.

Giving Thanks in 2009

15 things the Northwest Railway Museum is thankful for (in no particular order):

1. Sprinkler systems! (The Snoqualmie Depot was spared from major fire damage by sprinkler heads located on the structure’s exterior.)

2. Successful flood recovery. (On January 8 the Museum experienced the most significant flood event in its history and recovered in time to operate trains in April as scheduled.)

3. Broad base of community support from a truly successful community. (Participation through programs, volunteering, contributing funds, donating goods and services, and helping protect the museum from fire, flood and even petty crime.)

4. Popular programs. (2009 experienced record-setting participation in the Museum’s programs.)

5. Beautiful scenery in a great location. (A beautiful location helps the Museum be successful, and is part of railroad's legacy in the Northwest.)

6. A Collection of Northwest railway history truly representative of the region. (Locomotives, a depot, bridges, freight cars, coaches, lanterns, books, photographs, maps, and examples of pretty much anything else imaginable that was used to build, operate or maintain a railroad.)

7. Great volunteers. (Over 200 people have participated this year in everything from flood recovery to staffing all programs.)

8. Dedicated staff. (Five full time and four part time staff provide management and general support for museum programs.)

9. Supportive local government (Snoqualmie, North Bend and King County have all helped the Museum become more successful.)

10. Awesome elected officials at all levels of government from the City of Snoqualmie Council all the way to Congress.

11. Irreplaceable support from the State of Washington and the United States. (Together, the State and Federal government are funding nearly 40% of the new Train Shed.)

12. Museum members. (Membership remains as one of the Museum’s critical support mechanisms.)

13. Generous funders. (Recent new support received from 4Culture, North American Railway Foundation, the Quest for Truth Foundation, the City of Snoqualmie and dozens of individuals.)

14. Effective and dedicated Board of Trustees. (Museum is governed by 11 volunteer trustees. Members include rail historians, museum volunteers, and community representatives.)

15. The best bells and whistles of any museum in the County!

He's Got the Spirit

The spirit of giving is alive and well in western Washington. One of our members, 5¾ years-old Hal C. donated the entire contents of his piggy bank to flood relief for the Northwest Railway Museum. When asked, Hal confided he was worried that his favorite Museum might not be there anymore. He decided on his own, to contribute the contents of his piggy bank. The quarters and dollar bills spilled out onto the counter of the Depot Bookstore. Hal and James, the bookstore manager, counted it together and the total came to $11.00. Hal’s father, Eric C. made a contribution as well.

What a wonderful boost on a rainy first day of spring. Here’s a big thank you to a very thoughtful young man and his family for showing us all how to make a difference.