Allentown Art Museum


2008 Gala Dinner Dance and Auction The 2008 Gala Dinner Dance and Auction honoring Dorothy and Dexter Baker and The Baker Foundation was a success, welcoming 380 beautifully attired guests and exceeding the evening’s fundraising goal of $160,000.		Jo Jo Muir, Tony Muir, Liz Muir and Bob Muir
Donor Profile: Francis H. Rasmus, Jr. Frank Rasmus is a man with a mission, and his passion is infectious. He isn’t shy about telling you that he made a modest salary, or that he retired with a sizeable estate by carefully investing his savings. You might even get a few stock tips along the way. But figures and finances aren’t everything to Frank. Born into a musical family, he enjoys the inspiration of the visual arts, the natural glory of botanical gardens, the transcendence of a symphony orchestra performance. Although he is a Philadelphia resident, Frank has been visiting the Allentown Art Museum for years. After reading reviews of the museum’s exhibitions in the Philadelphia Inquirer, he made his first trip to Allentown. “You do world-class exhibitions here,” he likes to say during his now-frequent visits to the museum. Through the example of his beloved grandmother, Frank learned early that non-profit organizations need nurturing and support in order to thrive. When Frank retired, he decided to take his pension as a lump sum and invest it in IRAs. Then he began establishing charitable gift annuities with dozens of his cherished non-profit causes. Charitable gift annuities, or CGAs, are tax-advantageous instruments that enable a donor to make a planned gift to a charity while receiving guaranteed income during his lifetime. At the time of the initial gift, a significant portion of that gift is tax-deductible. Donors then receive regular income, based on the donor’s age, from the CGA. The charitable organization receives the remainder of the annuity when the donor passes away. Frank started his first CGA in 2004 and has since created over sixty, all of which will ultimately benefit about twenty different organizations. “These organizations are my pension,” Frank notes. “I get two dollars in charitable gift annuity income for every dollar of Social Security I receive every month.” Much of that income, he adds, is tax-free. He hasn’t stopped with CGAs. Frank also designates portions of his IRAs as bequests to his favorite charities. The Allentown Art Museum is grateful to be among those institutions. Today, Frank spreads the word about the benefits of planned charitable giving. He urges everyone to consider “giving while you live, but not at the expense of a comfortable retirement as it truly is a win-win proposition that lets you see the money at work doing good while at the same time helping to assure a comfortable retirement with a guaranteed income.” CGAs don’t just make good money sense. “You can have such fun with these things,” he says. “You can get your grandkids involved in philanthropy, teach them about helping others. You can memorialize your parents and grandparents as I have. You can help support relatives you’re concerned about. There are a million ways you can use planned giving to benefit your loved ones and the organizations you care about.” If you are interested in learning more about how CGAs or other forms of planned giving can provide you with a source of stable income while supporting the Allentown Art Museum, please contact Elsbeth G. Haymon, director of development, at 610-432- 4333, ext. 26 or email .		Frank Rasmus MEMBER PRICE: $15.25 $16.95 each William Wegman’s unique interpretations of classic fairy tales feature his famous Weimaraners in the starring roles. Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood are visually amusing and witty, must-haves for children of all ages.
Business Partner Program The museum’s Annual Business Partner Appreciation Reception took place on Thursday, May 1, 2008. Representatives from regional businesses networked and mingled with museum staff, enjoying great food, drink and conversation. Real estate developer John Zawarski spoke about Nic Zawarski and Sons’ role in the revitalization of downtown Allentown, specifically The Townes at Trexler Square and their future home office building on Hamilton Street. Of the event, Maureen Connolley, manager of business development, said, “The museum is honored to have forged partnerships with such prestigious Lehigh Valley businesses and corporations. We know an investment in the Allentown Art Museum is a winning proposition for all concerned.” The Museum’s Hitting the Road! Partnership with Elderhostel Expanding Into Outreach The Allentown Art Museum is currently developing a new outreach program for retirement communities in partnership with Elderhostel. In an effort to further provide art-based educational experiences for adults fifty-five and older, these new programs will be provided to communities of lifelong learners that are less able to travel to the museum for on-site programming. Visit www.elderhostel.org for details on these exciting new programs.		Tom Roberts, Cheryl Roberts and David Yanoshik at the museum's Business Partner Reception. Photo by Lehigh Valley Style.