Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center

Membership

Memberships constitute the single greatest source of income used to run the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center.

Memberships fund our mission of providing the public and Kutztown University with programs that educate our visitors about Pennsylvania German culture and history. Our Easter and Christmas on the Farm programs remain popular and we have resurrected the old Heemet Fescht in our new Harvest Fescht event held the weekend following Columbus Day. In 2006, three workshops focused on traditional Pennsylvania German crafts and a bus trip to the Civil War Museum and the Gettysburg battlefield provided learning opportunities for our members and the public. Lucy Kern coordinated a well attended Genealogy and History conference in September that will return on a biennial basis in 2007 providing a strong academic program to our roster of events. Our children’s camp remains popular and a new Yunge camp was started this past year for the older children. Darlene Moyer oversees the production of our new quarterly newsletter designed to keep members aware of the activities of the Heritage Center

Future plans at the Center include the construction of a major research library, construction of an exhibit building for our carpenter and cooper tool collections, an exhibit building for the Wagonhurst tinsmith collection, building a blacksmith shop, adding matching boys and girls privies to the schoolhouse, repointing the stonework on the barn, establishing a project space and workshop in the rear barn ell, and erecting a pole barn to house artifacts needing conservation and placement into exhibits. We would also like to find and move a chapel or small church and a general store to the Center to balance out our collection of buildings important in the Pennsylvania German culture. It takes funding to make these dreams reality.

We need your support now more than ever. Any effort you can make to encourage others to join as members would be appreciated. If your resources can support an upgrading of your membership class or any additional donation to help our cause we would be thankful for your aid.

As a member you will receive the Center's semi-annual newsletter, advance notice of upcoming programs, an invitation to our annual dinner meeting, and other benefits.

There are eight membership categories: Leweszeit Glieder (lifetime membership), Hoch Gewwe Glieder, Bresident Glieder, Gross Helfer, Hunnert Daaler Helfer, Familye and Paerson. Members who donate at least $1,000 receive signed and numbered copies of a limited edition print of the Freyberger School.

Tax-deductible membership contributions support the Center's educational programs, special programs for school children, seasonal festivals, the development of the Center for our extensive collection of Pennsylvania German artifacts, and for research into Pennsylvania German life and history. Most of all, membership contributions help to keep the culture and traditions alive for our generation and the next!

Please call the Center at (610) 683-1589 for a free, sample copy of the Center newsletter, membership application and more information. Or fill-out and mail us the linked membership application.

Hours of Operation

Monday - Friday
10:00am - 12:00pm
1:00pm - 4:00pm

Tours by Appointment

Updated: March 31, 2008