Apr 26, 2017 2 min read

In recent days, we have learned that there are not enough funds to hold the Whiskey Rebellion celebration in Washington this summer, as there is a 30 percent funding shortfall and they have to raise $20,000.

My question is, what has the board of directors been doing for the past year? How many grants have they written? How many letters have they mailed out to various historical societies in Western Pennsylvania and the tri-state area asking for donations? Have letters been sent to all the other historical societies in Pennsylvania? How many grant requests have they written in the past year?

I ask all of these questions because I belong to several historical groups and we have not received any letters asking for a donation. Also, I have attended numerous grant-writing workshops in the last couple of years. Have I ever seen anyone from the Whiskey Rebellion Festival, the Bradford House or the LeMoyne House at these workshops? The answer is a big no.

I belong to one organization that had to ask a representative from the Whiskey Rebellion Festival to speak at our Christmas party. It was placed on our calendar, a letter was sent and they were reminded several times about it. Did they show up or call to let us know they were not coming? No. The Whiskey Rebellion committee would have gotten a nice donation that day from our group.

The problem with a lot of people who want to serve on committees and boards of directors is work is involved, and you are constantly supposed to be looking for funds.

Kenneth E. Britten

Houston

Britten is the president of the Beaver Falls Historical Society and Museum, the president of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Genealogical Society and a teacher for the Washington County Literacy Council.