Back in October, things looked grim for the State Historical Society of Missouri. The society, housed on the east side of Ellis Library, was socked with a 25 percent reduction in state funding for the current fiscal year. To help the state appropriation stretch farther, the society began closing on Fridays and Saturdays, and society staff took a voluntary salary reduction.
They also put out a call to loyal patrons to help out with private fundraising efforts. Those efforts are paying off. The society has been able to raise more than $90,000 in private funds to support its public purpose. Beginning last Friday, the society returned to its normal operation hours: 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
That’s welcome news, but Gary Kremer, the society’s executive director, stresses that the money raised so far represents less than one-third the amount need to replace the state budget cut. He says the fundraising effort must continue if the society is to remain open six days a week, and he stresses that not all the society’s programs have been restored.