Monongahela: Historical society seeks help with banner project
By KRISTIE LINDEN
klinden@yourmvi.com
The Monongahela Area Historical Society went to council this week in hopes of finding a safe place for extra money raised for the city’s veterans banners.
Laura Magone, society president, explained that the group had initiated a one-time-only fundraiser in hopes of getting $200 to repair 21 veterans banners that hadn’t been hung because they were in need of repair.
The Monongahela Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1409 on East Main Street is in charge of the veterans banners, but lacked the funds to get the repairs made, Magone said.
DeVore Hardware in Monongahela agreed to provide the necessary equipment at cost if the donations were raised, so the historical society decided to lead the fundraiser because the program is so popular, Magone said.
An anonymous donor supplied the needed $200 almost immediately, she said, and that was followed by another $2,020 in donations.
“We want to know if the city will hold these funds so the repairs could be paid for in the future,” Magone said.
She explained that the members of the VFW will continue to do the repairs themselves, and DeVore Hardware has agreed to continue providing equipment. Magone said they just need to find a home for the cash other than the historical society.
Councilman Ken Kulak asked why the society couldn’t keep the money, and Magone responded that if more donations come in for the fund in the future, it would count as income for the historical society.
“We’re a charitable nonprofit and our mission statement is specific to what we do with maintaining the history of the town,” Magone said. “We did this as a one-time goodwill gesture, but it doesn’t fit with the guidelines of our mission statement. We really thought of it as a partnership with the city and the VFW.”
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