Giving to Olana

Photo: © bSchneck

By Sean Sawyer, Washburn and Susan Oberwager President, The Olana Partnership

As you ponder the impact that your charitable giving can have this season, I hope you will consider making an end-of-year gift to The Olana Partnership. Individual donations, including Annual Fund and membership, make up 15% of our $1.5 million annual operating budget, and if you include our Summer Party and Church Award Gala this rises to 49%. We are offering a variety of ways to support Olana this season, including “Get One, Gift One” two-for-one membership days, “Member Double Discount Days” in our Museum Store, and our fully tax-deductible Annual Fund.

In all cases, your contributions or purchases will help us meet our goals to fund educational programs and advocacy work at Olana this year. As of September 30, over 20,000 visitors had entered the main house, including 1,100 local school children, a 7% increase over the same period last year. More than 130,000 people entered the park to run, walk, picnic, or experience the most spectacular views anywhere in the Hudson Valley. A gift to Olana is also a great investment in our regional economy: in 2017 Olana’s impact on the Capital Region’s economy was $9.3 million and our operations and visitor spending supported 210 jobs, making Olana one of our area’s principal economic engines.

Your end-of-year support will also ensure that we enter the New Year in as strong a position as possible. We are moving ahead with exciting plans for 2019 that include: expanding the number and variety of tour and program experiences available, creating the ability to pay for tour tickets online, and beginning the restoration of the historic farm landscape. Our vision is to make all of Olana accessible and part of every visitor’s experience.