As a member, donor, sponsor

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Fall 2015 The Star-Spangled Banner Mount Rushmore National Memorial The Mount Rushmore Society through the Mount Rushmore Bookstores, the Mount Rushmore Audio Tour, Mount Rushmore Memories, the Mount

National Park Service. www.mountrushmoresociety.

1 Fall 2015 The Star-Spangled Banner Mount Rushmore National Memorial The Mount Rushmore Society through the Mount Rushmore Bookstores, the Mount Rushmore Audio Tour, Mount Rushmore Memories, the Mount Rushmore Institute and other activities is dedicated to the preservation, promotion and enhancement of Mount Rushmore National Memorial and the values it represents through a partnership with the National Park Service. Make 2016 the Year You Visit, Give or Join By Diana Nielsen Saathoff, Executive Director As a member, donor, sponsor or friend of the Society, please accept our appreciation for your support this past year. By volunteering, attending events, sponsoring events, recruiting new members, renewing your own membership or donating to the Youth Exploration Area shelter or other projects, 2015 was an historic year (see p. 7). An even more exciting year is brewing in Here is a sneak peak of what s coming up. Make this the year you visit, give or join. This is our theme and singular focus for the upcoming 75th anniversary of the completion of Mount Rushmore in The logo and a list of events (inset) were revealed at An Evening with Theodore Roosevelt on Photo by Chad Coppess October 3rd and will be behind all our efforts for the next 14 months. Will this theme be successful? It already is! The logo has been adopted Events Celebrate the 75th Anniversary of Mount Rushmore during the following events. Find out more at An Evening with Theodore Roosevelt 10/3/2015 South Dakota Christmas at the Capitol 11/2015 Macy s Day Parade 11/26/2015 Rose Parade 1/1/2016 South Dakota Tourism Conference 1/2016 The Journey Museum s Mount Rushmore Exhibit Beginning July, 2016 Find Your Park Festival 8/20/2016 An Evening with a U.S. President 10/1/2016 Black Hills Symphony Mount Rushmore Suite 10/22/16 National Park Service Centennial Events Summer 2016 by our wonderful partners at the South Dakota Department of Tourism, the continued on p. 7 From the President 2 Member News 3 Friend-Raising 4-5 Retail News 8-9 Annual Meeting 10

Who We Are: Mount Rushmore Society President: Judy Allen Executive Director: Diana Nielsen Saathoff Finance Director: Lynn Bauter Parking Division Manager: Bob Dominicak Communications Director:

2 Who We Are: Mount Rushmore Society President: Judy Allen Executive Director: Diana Nielsen Saathoff Finance Director: Lynn Bauter Parking Division Manager: Bob Dominicak Communications Director: Debbie Ketel Development Director: Gary Keller Administrative Assistant: Patty Neumiller Special Projects Coordinator: Cindy Mayes Assistant Finance Manager: Kim Canfield Administrative & Accounting Assistant: Amy Stevenson A worker drills into the granite rock. What a view he had! Strategic Planning By Judy Allen, President Ya gotta love Yogi Berra. Yogi once said, If you don t know where you are going, you are certain to end up somewhere else. Taking Yogi s advice, long-range strategic planning was an agenda item at our recent board retreat. Perhaps it is not an exhilarating topic, but surely fundamental to our mission. With our long-range strategic planning, we set goals to better serve the park. A concise summary of our strategic plan is to partner with the National Park Service (NPS) to improve, fundraise, friendraise and sustain Mount Rushmore. The Society currently has a fiveyear commitment to the NPS to provide $100,000 annually for preservation work on the faces. You may have seen rangers hanging from George s nose from time to time as part of the annual preservation and improvement efforts. October 31, 2016, is the 75th anniversary of the completion of the faces. Seventy-five years in the South Dakota climate takes a toll on park facilities. Thus, the NPS has requested much-needed improvements for the park. Those requests give us the opportunity to fundraise and friendraise for the Memorial. Even before Mount Rushmore was completed in 1941, the Society was involved in raising funds, gaining public support and enhancing the visitor experience. We continue that tradition and look forward to serving the Memorial for the next 75 years as well. If you don t know where you are going, you are certain to end up somewhere else. Yogi Berra Mount Rushmore Bookstores Retail Manager: Laura Jones Mount Rushmore Memories Retail Manager in Hill City: Debra Rudolph Mount Rushmore Memories Airport Store Retail Manager: Anna Raue Mount Rushmore Society PO Box 1524 Rapid City, SD North Creek Dr Rapid City, SD (605) Fax: (605) info@mtrushmore.org Mount Rushmore Bookstores and Mount Rushmore Audio Tour Office: Mount Rushmore National Memorial Hwy 244 Keystone, SD / bookstores@mtrushmore.org Mount Rushmore Memories PO Box Main St. Hill City, SD memories@mtrushmore.org Mount Rushmore Memories Airport Store Rapid City Regional Airport 4550 Terminal Rd Rapid City, SD anna@mtrushmore.org 2

Mount Rushmore Society Picnic Held By Michelle Lintz, Membership & Marketing Chair Mount Rushmore Society members, potential members, National Park Service representatives and Society staff gathered

The event included a scrumptious meal by Xanterra Parks & Resorts, networking and a presentation by author and historian Tom Griffith.

He was the first executive director of the Society and led the Preservation Fund that raised millions of dollars for the park s redevelopment in the 1990s.

3 Mount Rushmore Society Picnic Held By Michelle Lintz, Membership & Marketing Chair Mount Rushmore Society members, potential members, National Park Service representatives and Society staff gathered for the annual Society Mount Rushmore Picnic held at the park on August 23. The event included a scrumptious meal by Xanterra Parks & Resorts, networking and a presentation by author and historian Tom Griffith. Griffith has a long legacy with Mount Rushmore and the Mount Rushmore Society. He was the first executive director of the Society and led the Preservation Fund that raised millions of dollars for the park s redevelopment in the 1990s. He has also written extensively about Mount Rushmore history and those involved. Today, looking back over a quarter-century of experience, I believe that the desire by the Society and Park Service to create a better future at Mount Rushmore and a more robust experience for a growing number of visitors, coupled with a total lack of resources, no road map and the uncertainty of how to actually reach our destination, created a constructive partnership that carried the day, Griffith explained. As inspiration for the future, he urged the audience to adopt a vision for Mount Rushmore worth pursuing. As true friends of Mount Rushmore, we must realize that the future will not abide excuses; only accomplishment, improvement and success. We know now, as we knew Finance Director Lynn Bauter and Chief of Interpretation & Education Maureen McGee-Ballinger take picnic attendees on a tour of bookstore operations before the picnic begins. then, that the future doesn t get better by hope. It gets better by plan. By gaining awareness for park project needs like the new Youth Exploration Area and the redevelopment of trails near the park, the Society continues to preserve and promote Mount Rushmore. It s Official! Youth Exploration Area Completed Society President Judy Allen and Superintendent Cheryl Schreier cut the ribbon on the new Youth Exploration Area (YEA) shelter in July, while representatives of major donors of the project look on. The YEA was utilized the rest of the 2015 summer season for ranger-led programs. Thanks again to everyone who gave to this worthy project! Naturalization Ceremony Held On July 2, more than 200 individuals from more than 30 different countries became citizens of the U.S. at a memorable naturalization ceremony held at Mount Rushmore and sponsored by the Mount Rushmore Society. As a memento of the special occasion, the Society presented each new citizen with an American flag and a gift. The Society is honored to be part of this ceremony, which is symbolic of the values of the four presidents on Mount Rushmore. It is also rewarding to see the gratitude that each new citizen expresses when becoming a part of this great country. 3

Your Gift for Future Generations By Gary Keller, Development Director The season of thanksgiving and giving to others is here, and it is important for all of us at the Society to recognize and thank

Your gifts have made an enormous impact on Mount Rushmore this year, but your continued support is needed as we prepare to launch the next fundraising efforts.

4 Your Gift for Future Generations By Gary Keller, Development Director The season of thanksgiving and giving to others is here, and it is important for all of us at the Society to recognize and thank those who have made gifts to support the Memorial in Thank you! It s also the time to remind you that now is the season to consider a year-end, taxdeductible gift. Your gifts have made an enormous impact on Mount Rushmore this year, but your continued support is needed as we prepare to launch the next fundraising efforts. Visitors to the mountain are awestruck by the majesty of the sculpture that represents our country s continuing journey through history. They continue to support the efforts of the Society as we preserve, protect and enhance the visitor experience at the Memorial. This summer, two major donors came to us with a wish to be a part of our mission. The Langston Family Foundation of Fountain Hills, AZ, and Douglas and Leah Beck of Newtown, PA, each made unrestricted gifts to the Society. In recognition of their generosity, their $5,000 and $25,000 donations, respectively, enable the Society to work with the National Park Service to engrave their names on the Grand View Terrace Donor Wall. Their children and grandchildren will know that their family members felt so strongly about the values represented by our mountain that they made a contribution to help keep it vibrant and alive for future generations to enjoy. As we were finalizing this newsletter, the Jewish American Society for Historical Preservation made an unrestricted $5,000 gift to honor their ideal that we re all one people. As Mount Rushmore is an international symbol of freedom visited by people from around the globe, how can one argue with that? We steward each and every gift as the donor wishes, and it is a great honor to do so. One hundred percent of the Langston Foundation and Beck family gifts will go toward projects and programs that enhance the park. We encourage those interested in making tax-deductible gifts to contact me at or gary@ mtrushmore.org. I will be happy to walk you through the very simple process. Mount Rushmore Society Pledge Form This is your opportunity to step up and make a difference at one of America s best ideas Mount Rushmore. Contributions to the Mount Rushmore Society are deposited as unencumbered funds. Your donations are tax deductible, and you will receive a receipt and required 501(c)(3) information. Yes, I want to give to the Mount Rushmore Society. I pledge $ per month for years or a one-time gift of $. Invoice me for my gift. Please accept my check made out to the Mount Rushmore Society for my gift. Charge my credit card for my pledge and/or one-time gift. American Express VISA Mastercard Discover Card Number: Exp. Date: Cardholder s signature: Name: Address: City: State: Daytime Phone: Zip Code: Mail to: Mount Rushmore Society PO Box 1524 Rapid City, SD Online donations accepted on our secure server at Your gift will make a wonderful impact on the programs and projects at Mount Rushmore. send your gift today. Thank you and enjoy the memories! And remember... gifts of $5,000+ may qualify you for a name engraving on the donor wall at the park. 4

Event Sponsors Left Photo: President Theodore Roosevelt speaks to the crowd at the Society s annual dinner.

$1,000 Presidential Sponsors Andy & Barb Knight Mount Rushmore Society Hosts President Theodore Roosevelt By Michelle Lintz, Membership & Marketing Chair The Society s annual dinner was held on

As usual, we had a sold-out crowd and raised more than $17,000 thanks to event sponsors, ticket holders, the live auction and the granite block fundraiser.

5 Event Sponsors Left Photo: President Theodore Roosevelt speaks to the crowd at the Society s annual dinner. Right photo: Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin and Max Sandlin visit with President Roosevelt. It was an honor to have them in attendance! $1,000 Presidential Sponsors Andy & Barb Knight Mount Rushmore Society Hosts President Theodore Roosevelt By Michelle Lintz, Membership & Marketing Chair The Society s annual dinner was held on October 3 as a kickstart to the 75th anniversary of the completion of Mount Rushmore in As usual, we had a sold-out crowd and raised more than $17,000 thanks to event sponsors, ticket holders, the live auction and the granite block fundraiser. The evening featured Roosevelt re-enactor and Mount Rushmore Society member Gib Young of Indiana. Accompanying Roosevelt was the president s trusty aide-de-camp Matthew Burr who set the stage for the presentation and time period. Roosevelt also had the opportunity to speak at North Middle School, Southwest Middle School and Westhills Village Retirement Community October 1-2. He was interviewed by several news outlets about President Roosevelt s successes and personality. New this year was the opportunity to participate in the granite block fundraiser co-sponsored by Eric Gardner. This gave attendees the opportunity to win a bottle of wine from Eric Gardner s personal collection and a piece of the rock. Each unique piece of granite is significant because each item was stone left over from the redevelopment at Mount Rushmore. The event could not have happened without the partnership and generosity of Xanterra Parks & Resorts, as they prepared the fabulous meal, sponsored the social hour and donated a live auction package to the event. Special thanks go out to all our additional sponsors listed on this page who partnered with us on this great event that supports Mount Rushmore and educates the community on how being a part of the Society contributes to our national park. Wine Sponsors Wine and beer served during the social donated by Xanterra Parks & Resorts Table wine donated by Investing in What Counts $500 Friends Sponsors Judy & Bill Duhamel 5

6 Make Your Visit Monumental You found YOUR PARK. Now, enjoy all it has to offer. Mount Rushmore Audio Tour Ranger-led Programs Junior Ranger Program Lincoln Borglum Museum & Visitor Center Sculptor s Studio Evening Lighting Ceremony Youth Exploration Area Presidential Trail Mount Rushmore Bookstores Carvers Cafe Memorial Team Ice Cream Shoppe Gift Shop

7 The Mount Rushmore Society purchased 15 acres in Keystone to protect the green space bordering Mount Rushmore National Memorial. A Successful 2015 Summer Season By Diana Saathoff, Executive Director Our 2014/2015 fiscal year came to a close on September 30, and it looks to be an historic year for the Mount Rushmore Society. Some of our milestones include: Parking Facility. The August rally showed an increase of 43% over In order to handle the influx, Presidential Parking engaged the help of 53 people, including PPI staff, Society staff and volunteers. Overall, parking at Mount Rushmore has been up 18.7% in total vehicles over last year. Keep em coming! In August, the Society officially finished paying off the $17 million loan that the Society board took out in 1998 to privately construct the parking garage at Mount Rushmore. This was the culmination of 16 years of hard work to serve the Mount Rushmore visitor. Keystone Land Acquisition. In an effort to maintain the green space bordering Mount Rushmore National Memorial, the Society purchased a little over 15 acres near the intersection of Hwy 244 and 16A. Donations. The Society received $30,000 in unrestricted donations in August alone, a testimony to the donors desires to help preserve Mount Rushmore. Mount Rushmore Bookstores. Our bookstores at the park hit $1 million in sales on July 16, which is the earliest it has ever reached that milestone during an average year. Way to go staff! Membership. The Society membership program remains strong and continues our long legacy of engaging the public in the programs, events and the yearly needs of the park. Please consider renewing your Become a Member: $30 Individual Membership Receive 15% off Bookstore purchases and at Mount Rushmore Memories, 10% off purchases in the Gift Shop, reciprocal discounts at cooperating associations in other parks, quarterly newsletters and invitations to certain events. Annual. $50 Family Membership Receive all benefits listed above, plus two audio tours. Annual. $100 Supporting Membership Receive all benefits listed above, plus a parking pass for the NEXT calendar year. Annual. Eligible for Lifetime Membership after five consecutive years. $500 Lifetime Individual Membership Receive 15% off Bookstore purchases and at Mount Rushmore Memories, 10% off purchases in the Gift Shop, reciprocal discounts at cooperating associations in other parks, quarterly newsletters, voting rights and invitations to all organizational events for life. Also receive a one-time coupon for two audio tours and a one-time parking pass for the NEXT calendar year. $700 Lifetime Couple Membership Shares all benefits listed above for a couple. $1500 Corporate Membership Receive all Supporting Membership benefits for one designated member of the corporation, plus a framed certificate and logo designation, business link on our website and advertisement opportunities. Annual. membership today or informing others on how they can become Lifetime Members. Levels of membership and the benefits associated with each are detailed above. 75th continued from p. 1 Governor s Tourism Advisory Board and the Black Hills Badlands Tourism Association. The logo will encourage statewide promotional partnership at the 2016 Governor s Conference on Tourism. It will appear as ornaments on the Society s tree at the upcoming Christmas at the Capitol. It will also adorn hundreds of thousands of 2016 South Dakota Vacation Guides and will be promoted nationally to travel writers and social media gurus from coast to coast. It is because of strong partnerships like these that you can take pride in your vital support of our organization and our American icon, which has been the engine for a vibrant tourism industry... past, present and future. Lastly, do not miss the Rose Parade on television on Friday, January 1. The parade theme is National Parks. Can you imagine what kind of coup our partners in South Dakota Department of Tourism have cooked up? Tune in! In Memoriam National Park Service Ranger Charlie Desmond passed away in October. He was a great friend of the Mount Rushmore Society, and we will miss him. Our sincere condolences go out to his wife Eileen and family. 7

Park Bookstores Provide Ranger Scholarship Program By Lynn Bauter, Finance Director Every year, sales from the Mount Rushmore Bookstores in the park go to support interpretive and educational needs

One way we support the park is with the Mount Rushmore Bookstores scholarship program. We sponsored six seasonal interpretive rangers this summer for $4,000 each.

The scholarship program provided an added incentive for interns to select Mount Rushmore as the park to spend a summer. Seasonal interpretive rangers are vital in serving visitors needs.

As always, your purchases at the park or online go to support worthy educational programs at Mount Rushmore. Make sure to visit our website during the holiday season.

As a result of this sponsorship, we placed ads alongside the articles, explaining who and what we do as an organization. A photo gallery of the 100 scenes and articles are available at www.

8 Park Bookstores Provide Ranger Scholarship Program By Lynn Bauter, Finance Director Every year, sales from the Mount Rushmore Bookstores in the park go to support interpretive and educational needs at Mount Rushmore. The stores donate approximately $200,000 to this cause on a yearly basis to support such programs as replacing flags on the Avenue of Flags and the Junior Ranger program. One way we support the park is with the Mount Rushmore Bookstores scholarship program. We sponsored six seasonal interpretive rangers this summer for $4,000 each. Interpretive rangers are normally compensated with a small stipend and park housing. The scholarship program provided an added incentive for interns to select Mount Rushmore as the park to spend a summer. Seasonal interpretive rangers are vital in serving visitors needs. They staff the Information Center and the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center as well as give daily programs, assist Junior Rangers and give the Evening Lighting Ceremony program, among other duties. As always, your purchases at the park or online go to support worthy educational programs at Mount Rushmore. Make sure to visit our website during the holiday season. A National Park Service ranger provides programming in the Youth Exploration Area at the park. Order Everything Mount Rushmore Conveniently ONLINE Four Famous Faces BY JEAN L. S. PATRICK ILLUSTRATED BY RENÉE GRAEF The Mount Rushmore Society was the sole sponsor of the Rapid City Journal s series 100 Scenes of South Dakota in which unique areas of the state were spotlighted. As a result of this sponsorship, we placed ads alongside the articles, explaining who and what we do as an organization. A photo gallery of the 100 scenes and articles are available at Thank you Mount Rushmore Society for the 100 Scenic Series, always on page 3 of the Journal. I have saved many of them for visitors because the directions are so clear for people to find and enjoy them. Joanne Goodrich Spearfish, SD 100 SCENES brought to you by: Visit Mount Rushmore s New Youth Exploration Area Funded through the Mount Rushmore Society, this new structure at Mount Rushmore provides a permanent home for youth-oriented programming. Check the Information Center for daily programs. Join Us. Become a Member. a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization 8

Mount Rushmore Memories Airport Store Holds Official Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting By Anna Raue, Retail Manager Officials with the Rapid City Regional Airport Board and the Mount Rushmore Society

The Society submitted a proposal to run the airport gift store that outlined an innovative vision for the design of the store, blending the materials and motifs of the airport with those of Mount

Sales have been very strong, and the new design fits right in with the western elegance theme of the Airport.

Feedback from customers has been nothing less than positive and encouraging. We know we are doing a good job when we have frequent flyers coming in just to see what s new.

9 Mount Rushmore Memories Airport Store Holds Official Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting By Anna Raue, Retail Manager Officials with the Rapid City Regional Airport Board and the Mount Rushmore Society cut the ribbon July 28 on the newly remodeled and expanded airport gift store. The Society submitted a proposal to run the airport gift store that outlined an innovative vision for the design of the store, blending the materials and motifs of the airport with those of Mount Rushmore National Memorial. We are very pleased to have Mount Rushmore Memories as our new gift shop concessionaire, says Acting Airport Executive Director Pete Girtz. Sales have been very strong, and the new design fits right in with the western elegance theme of the Airport. We are proud to feature local artists and regional products in our store, as well as a large variety of foods and convenience items. Feedback from customers has been nothing less than positive and encouraging. We know we are doing a good job when we have frequent flyers coming in just to see what s new. Our merchandise changes constantly, and our goal is to keep growing in our limited space. Shop Mount Rushmore Memories in Hill City for Super 70% Off Clearance Deals!!! Great Bargains for the Holidays. Welcome Patty Neumiller Patty Neumiller has joined the Mount Rushmore Society s Rapid City office as the administrative assistant. Her work experience includes serving as project coordinator with the Black Hills Area Community Foundation and South Dakota community relations director with the American Cancer Society. Her background in fundraising, planning events and working with volunteers are great assets to our team! We partnered with Xanterra Parks & Resorts to sponsor a new exhibit panel at the Black Hills Badlands & Lakes Visitor Center off I-90. We hope this informs more visitors on what to see and do at the park. 9

Mount Rushmore Society Mount Rushmore Bookstores Mount Rushmore Institute Mount Rushmore Memories PO Box 1524 Rapid City, SD 57709 Address Service Requested

10 Mount Rushmore Society Mount Rushmore Bookstores Mount Rushmore Institute Mount Rushmore Memories PO Box 1524 Rapid City, SD Address Service Requested NONPROFIT US POSTAGE PAID Rapid City, SD Permit No. 618 Save the Date: January 15, 2016 for the Mount Rushmore Society s Annual Meeting Details Coming Soon!

The Star-Spangled Banner

Summer 2014 The Star-Spangled Banner Mount Rushmore National Memorial The Mount Rushmore Society through the Mount Rushmore Bookstores, the Mount Rushmore Audio Tour, Mount Rushmore Memories, the Mount