![]() Some Vice Regents raised funds by staging elaborate concerts, dinners or balls. Not surprisingly, Vice Regents encouraged a sense of friendly competition.įor instance, the lady manager of Halifax County, North Carolina, wrote to her constituents that donations had already arrived from " England, Scotland, France and even from some little Isles of the Sea." She then bemoaned, " Sisters of Halifax let the blush of shame mantle our cheeks! North Carolina is not there!" Needless to say, North Carolina soon landed near the top of the list.Īlthough there were mini-campaigns being conducted in almost every state, Miss Cunningham insisted that the effort be a national one, and that membership in the Association could be obtained through a one dollar contribution from any citizen, " irrespective of age or sex."įrom newsboys in New York City, to Masonic lodges, fire companies, military groups, patriotic societies, and schools of all descriptions rushed to add their names to the honor roll of giving. In 1859, the crew of a United States steamship, Savannah, donated $150 “while the ship was far away on the central America station, when the warm heart of the sailor turned fondly to sweet home and the Mecca of America, and longed to testify by acts of his love and veneration for both." The most eager Vice Regents wasted little time creating a statewide structure, appointing lady managers for many cities, towns and counties. When Miss Cunningham invited a new Vice Regent to represent her state in the MVLA, she made it perfectly clear that raising funds was job one. ![]() Instead, they encouraged every American, from the smallest schoolchild to the most battle-worn veteran, to be a potential donor to the Mount Vernon cause. They were not counting on wealthy tycoons with a blank check. The original Regent and Vice Regents of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association (MVLA) were true pioneers in the field of philanthropy, especially at a time when women did not serve on corporate boards, and very few controlled family fortunes.
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