The Mark Twain Museum has been something of a beehive lately, and there are no plans for things to quiet down any time soon. Nineteen people joined us for our First Friday Film Festival and another fourteen participated in an all-day writers’ workshop on Nov. 14. We have several upcoming events, and we hope you’ll mark your calendar and plan to join us:
Saturday, Nov. 21 – Henry Sweets will present “Portrait of a River Town” at 2 p.m. at the Museum Gallery. Cost is $5.00 or free to associate members. Call to reserve a seat.
Sunday, Nov. 22 – A special Open House will be held at the Becky Thatcher House from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. to show off our progress and give a preview on future plans.
Friday, Dec. 4 – Our First Friday Film Festival will feature the 1938 color classic of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” at 8 p.m. Admission is free; donations to the endowment fund are welcome. Bring your favorite snacks. Call to reserve a seat.
Saturday, Dec. 5 – The Museum’s “Living Windows” will be on display from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Santa (a.k.a. Bob Yapp) will be on hand for boys and girls to make their requests. And, we’ll also be hosting the Monroe City Singers performing a Christmas concert beginning at 6:30 p.m. We’ll even hear songs played on the grand piano once owned by Sam Clemens’s son-in-law, musician and conductor Ossip Gabrilowitsch. Admission is free; donations to the endowment fund are welcome.
Saturday, Dec. 12 – A “Tacky Tannenbaum” party from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. will give you a chance to show off your absolute “best” (and by “best” we mean “worst”) Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer sweatshirt and matching earrings. Awards will be given for the “tackiest” outfits. Even our decorations, food and games make you wonder if you’re really at the Museum. Bring your friends and family and pose for an unforgettable photo in your holiday finest. This is one holiday event you won’t want to miss. Children accompanied by an adult are free and adults are $15, or $10 if they bring a bag of canned goods to donate to a local food bank. All proceeds will go to the endowment fund.
Finally, if you’ve been wondering what to give the person who has everything this holiday season, please consider making a donation to the Museum’s endowment fund on their behalf. As you know, we are getting ready for 2010: The Year of Mark Twain and are working to grow our endowment fund. We are offering several gifts to offer with various donation levels. We will send the gift and a gift card acknowledging your donation. With a $25 donation we are giving a leather embossed bookmark; $50 — Christmas ornament of the Boyhood Home; $100 — Mark Twain Journal; $250 — Mark Twain bust (custom-made for the Museum); and $500 — set of Norman Rockwell illustrated Tom and Huck books. A legacy gift offers lasting value and is a gift that is given twice.
Cindy Lovell can be reached at (573) 221-9010, ext. 402. She welcomes your ideas and enthusiasm.
