Landmarks Association of St. Louis is eligible for a Monsanto Grow St. Louis grant, which it desperately needs in order to continue in its mission to research, educate and advocate for our city's historic built environment. Please cast your vote here, just type Landmarks in the project search field, and be sure to validate your vote via email:
HOW AWARD MONEY WOULD BE USED
by Andrew Weil,
If awarded a grant from Monsanto, Landmarks would utilize the funds to assist in education; and for public tours and events that are offered to participants at no charge. Currently, WABMO is partially funded through the Regional Arts Commission (RAC). RAC’s funding for WABMO (due to the agency’s own economic limitations) has steadily declined over the years, and there is no guarantee that WABMO will receive funds from RAC in 2012. Additionally, in the past, the program was attended by students from schools (public and private) that could afford to pay a minimum per-student rate. As schools have cut back on budgets for field trips, WABMO is currently faced with the need to evolve into a free program that can be taken directly to students In other words, because many schools can no longer afford to bring students to WABMO programs, we would like to bring WABMO programs to students by adapting the program to fit individual neighborhoods where schools are located. In addition to WABMO, Landmarks requests grant funding to support lectures, gallery openings, tours and events that can be made available to the public at no charge. Landmarks currently receives no substantial donations or grant monies to support programming though we manage to stage several exhibits and a diverse schedule of tours and lectures throughout the year. For Landmarks to continue such programs at no cost to the public, we need the support of generous donors (such as Monsanto) who are willing to share in our efforts to enrich our city through unique programs and events – both educational and entertaining.
CONTRIBUTION TO ST. LOUIS
Landmarks Association of St. Louis, Inc. was incorporated in 1959 by a group of concerned citizens. As St. Louis entered the second half of the 20th century, rapid depopulation, “urban renewal,” slum clearance, increased need for downtown parking, construction of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial and the realization of the Interstate Highway System resulted in the destruction of tens of thousands of historic buildings. Landmarks was organized to provide an advocate for long-term thinking and sound planning for St. Louis’ wealth of historic architecture. Landmarks believes that the city’s historic architecture is a unique and valuable asset and we are dedicated to its preservation, enhancement, and promotion. Landmarks’ original goals have evolved over the years and the organization’s mission now encompasses education, cultural heritage tourism, community development, and policy advocacy. Monsanto’s “Grow St. Louis” grant program would provide a means for us to “grow” the city by supporting free lectures, events, exhibits and educational programs that are designed to preserve, enhance, and promote our city’s unique built environment. Among others, the grant would support our “WABMO” program (What are Buildings Made Of?). Originally conceived in the early 1990s to teach middle school students about the city’s built environment, WABMO has evolved to address a wide variety of topics such as building materials, architectural styles, and environmental stewardship. A typical program incorporates local history, vivid imagery, and a hands-on teaching session, followed by a walking tour of Downtown or other city neighborhood. Today, the program is adapted for elementary, high school, and college students as well as at-risk youth and senior citizen groups. At Landmarks, we feel that every day presents an opportunity to strengthen St. Louis by reaching out to all citizens with initiatives that encourage appreciation and adaptive reuse of our city’s great wealth of historic buildings and neighborhoods.
Again, VOTE!