One Heart & One Mind
Our One Heart & One Mind capital campaign is currently underway. The three pillars of our campaign are Preservation, Education, and Growth. For this campaign, our aim is to restore our beautiful campus for future generations. Thus far, we have raised an estimated 4.5 million (raised from both within and outside our congregation). Thanks to the generosity of our congregation and friends of the Chapel, we have been able to completely seal the envelope of the Chapel, have restored 11 of the 13 stained glass windows (with the last two scheduled for completion in the coming months), and will be fully renovating Patriots' Hall including new ADA bathrooms and a catering kitchen.
We are close to beginning the renovations in Patriot’s Hall, which will be a perfect conference, lecture, retreat, and reception space for years to come for our Chapel, our friends, and the wider community. To see the design of the space, use the button below. We are grateful for the generosity of so many who have made this a reality.
Now we turn our attention to our next priorities, which are the Cloister of the Colonies and the Education Center. The Cloister of the Colonies is one of the most popular spots on our campus. There are 13 bays (and no two bays are alike) representing the 13 American colonies and their soldiers who fought for independence. Dr. Burk referred to the Cloister as the “most beautiful memorial at Valley Forge,” although some of the original splendor has dimmed over the years. We owe it to the original donors – and the soldiers they intended to honor – to return the monument to its former glory. The current cost to address the years of wear and tear is roughly $1.7M. The renovation of the Education Center, which occupies most of the lower level of the Chapel, will create more classrooms and bathrooms to serve current and future generations. The 2022 estimate to renovate the Education Center was $1M. We are currently working with our designer for a full re-design of the Education Wing and the Cabin Shop Cafe just below it.
If the mission of this memorial chapel inspires you to join us in this preservation effort, donations by check may be made payable to: Washington Memorial Heritage, P.O. Box 466, Valley Forge, PA 19481. If you prefer e-payments, please visit our website at https://www.wmheritage.org/donate We are also happy to sit down with you to share more information about what our One Heart & One Mind campaign seeks to accomplish.
Washington Memorial Heritage is a secular nonprofit 501c3 PA corporation founded in 2005. Our mission is to restore and preserve the Chapel, educate the public about its art and architecture, and share the legacy of General George Washington and the Continental Army.
Mark R. Thompson, Executive Director
Washington Memorial Heritage