Auction for Preservation – Historic Fort Wayne, Detroit Michigan

[ColdSteele]

I do not know if this type of thread is permitted. However, I wanted to make the membership of this forum aware of a preservation auction currently underway.

The Historic Fort Wayne Coalition is auctioning off, for the first time, a 4x6 sewn nylon 50 star flag flown during the September 6, 2008 preservation workday. The auction is currently being held via eBay and is open to anyone interested in helping out a beautiful fort and gaining a unique piece of military nostalgia. Included with the flag will be a 5x7 color photo of the flag flying on a gorgeous sunny day.

I will not overly describe the auction here, as it is in detail on the eBay item description. However, 100% of the money gained from this auction will go to the Historic Fort Wayne Coalition, specifically earmarked for preservation projects.

If you feel inclined to help toward this project, please feel free to check out the auction. The starting bid is just enough to cover the cost of the sale price, flag price and fees. So much work is being done with minimal cash flow at Historic Fort Wayne. Even if you do not choose to bid, please check out the website of the Historic Fort Wayne Coalition to see who we are and what we are doing. They are a phenomenal team of dedicated individuals caring for this 83 acre site housing a star fort built between 1845-1848, and 1848 Limestone enlisted barracks and many other buildings whose service has spanned every U.S. war and conflict from the Civil War through Viet Nam.

Thanks for reading and I hope that even if you don’t bid, your support will continue to help restore and rehabilitate this site to its original, multi-era condition.


eBay Auction Item link
http://cgi.ebay.com/U-S-Flag-Fort-Wayne-Detroit_W0QQitemZ190251092325QQihZ009QQcategoryZ13 5QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Historic Fort Wayne Coalition
www.historicfortwaynecoalition.com


Sincerely,

Tom Steele
Historic Fort Wayne Coalition (www,historicfortwaynecoalition.com)
Projects Committee – Secretary
Sally Port Mess (www.sallyportmess.itgo.com)
Member and Co-Founder

[ColdSteele]

shameless bump....

[pvt_jb]

This auction has its first bid. Anyone else?? Fort Wayne, Detroit is a great piece of Civil War history for both Michigan and the Country as a whole.

[Rick Keating]

Auctioning a modern flag flown over Fort Wayne doesn't seem to me to be a way to raise much money. Just my opinion, but you would probably raise more bucks for your cause by directly soliciting memberships in the Historic Fort Wayne Coalition.

From the website:
Historic Fort Wayne can only be as pristine, as well as historically and educationally rewarding, as the people who care for it make it. Although the Detroit Parks and Recreation Department continues to do everything in its power to maintain the area for the benefit of the Fort's growing patronage, time and resources from volunteer groups such as the Historic Fort Wayne Coalition are still needed and greatly appreciated. While much of the membership of the Coalition is made up of living history reenactors, many members are not reenactors but instead are ordinary people who have an interest in helping to upkeep The Fort so that it can always serve in its recreational, historical, and educational capacity. As a member of the Coalition, you will be providing this greatly appreciated resource. Your membership dues help to defray costs of Coalition-sponsored events, as well as necessary groundskeeping, maintenance, and administrative supplies that cannot immediately be provided from other sources. Interested Coalition members also participate at monthly and specially scheduled work parties, as well as serve in various capacities during Coalition-sponsored events.

There are three levels of membership in the Coalitions. These include Individual ($20.00/year), Family ($35.00/year) and Student ($10.00/year).

I believe your membership rates are very reasonable and by promoting them you'll realize more incoming dollars than you will from the flag auction.

Best of luck.

Rick Keating

[ColdSteele]

Rick,

Your point is noted and I fully realize that our membership fees are reasonable and are WELL below what some organizations cost to be a member.

The idea is not to use a modern flag to generate large scale income. It is rather to give people outside the region the opportunity to purchase some collectable memorabilia or for Fort Wayne enthusiasts to continue to provide assistance while receiving something tangible in return.

It is true that this single, lone flag will not save a deteriorated Fort. Similarly, neither the National capitol building nor the USS Arizona Memorial (or any other monument for that matter) rely on commemorative flag sales to fully support their budgets. It is a unique opportunity OUTSIDE of membership solicitation for people who have a personal or family connection to Fort Wayne to hold a piece of it.

Thank you for your well wishes. I do hope that, even though the income may not be significant, it will provide the winner a unique physical piece of history that they can hold, share, fly and tell a story of where it came from.

Hopefully, in the end, membership will get a boost too!

Best Regards,

Tom Steele
Historic Fort Wayne Coalition (www.historicfortwaynecoalition.com)
Projects Committee - Secretary
Sally Port Mess (www.sallyportmess.itgo.com)
Member and Co-Founder

[ColdSteele]

The Fort Wayne flag auction has concluded and has been sold after some last minute bidding!

Thank you everyone who viewed the auction, placed a bid or just satisfied their curiosity as to what the Historic Fort Wayne Coalition was about by visiting our website!

Regards,

Thomas Steele
Historic Fort Wayne Coalition
Projects Committee – Secretary
Grants / Funding – Team Leader
www.historicfortwaynecoalition.com