WE STILL NEED HELP!. The unique effort of building a museum with only grassroots support has not been easy. There have been challenges every step of the way but with the help of hundreds of volunteers and thousands of donors we’ve made it this far. Now it is time to “bring ‘er home” as they say Down East. As we approach this final effort, please note several aspects of our Museum and Heritage Center that make it more than a “museum.”

• Local community supported and directed 

• Only museum and heritage center in the entire state dedicated to preserving the fragile coastal cultural heritage and living traditions that make us who we are

• Actively involved with partners across the state to provide a strong environmental and cultural education program sharing coastal North Carolina with school children, visitors and the local community

This is a program of work that was started, maintained and continues to be dependent on grassroots support. Community driven, the Museum and Heritage center is the only one of its kind that is committed to preserving Coastal North Carolina’s heritage (the state’s first citizens and their communities), record unique voices and promote its special way of life. 

No other museum, either state or federally funded, has done and is doing, what the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center is doing today. And again to remind you, this has been and is being accomplished with grassroots effort.

Today the Museum and Heritage Center is facing a unique opportunity - completion of the 22,000 sq. ft facility at historically low construction costs. To fully complete the facility the Museum & Heritage board and staff are working to raise $350,000. Of that amount, 80% is designated to completing construction and 20% to support expanded operational costs as we move into the full facility this fall.

We recognize that over the years you and so many others have been generous in giving to this worthy facility and program. But we must “bring ’er home” now. We cannot do that without YOU.

Time is of the essence. Every day that passes is a day less that we have to record and preserve the voices and stories of our coast that are changing every day. We have urgent work to do and we must finish the facility that will be home to this important work of protecting the fragile culture and heritage that makes Coastal North Carolina and Down East so very special.

Please consider the attached request and make a donation so that we can “Bring’er Home” for the public and especially future generations to know what is so very important about our coast.  We welcome the opportunity to answer your questions, give you a tour of the progress being made and time to talk about a possible larger pledge over the next year as we continue to move forward in securing the long-term funding we will need to repay our construction loans, maintain our facility, expand programming and complete our permanent exhibition.

Thank you for considering this very special and timely investment. Please write, call and give today. It is more than time we are losing—it is the people, their stories, this culture, our special place. We cannot wait another day!