Annual Report

The Vintage Fire Museum operates with an all volunteer staff and board of directors.

January, 2024

The year 2023 has been a very good year made possible by wonderful community support. There were a number of amazing accomplishments:

• Completing the VERY SUCCESSFUL Capital Campaign enabling full payment of the new building. We surpassed the $600,000 goal! Nearly paying off an additional large lot to the south side of the Museum.
• Beautifying the Area to Honor Firefighters in front of the building.
• Using state-of-the-art fire safety education equipment in presentations to children’s groups and families.
• Having successful special events including the 9-11 memorial, the muster, treats from Santa, and much more.
• Receiving several thousand visitors from the region, from across the nation, and from other countries. We are especially impressed with how many travellers visit the Museum.

January, 2023

Report coming soon.

January, 2022

A. Mission Statement:
The mission of the Vintage Fire Museum is to collect, preserve and display firefighting equipment in a museum of national significance for the education of children and adults. We are dedicated to enable people of all ages to see fire apparatus showing the history of firefighting in the U.S., to experience fire safety practices, and to honor firefighters.

B. Service Accomplishments in 2021:
2021 has been quite a year for the Vintage Fire Museum! It began with uncertainty and concern; it ended with thankfulness and joy.

The cause of the concern was that we were informed in late November of 2020 that our Museum site, which we rented, was needed for another purpose and that we would have to vacate within 6 months. In September of 2020 we had purchased a building across the street for expansion purposes, but it was not clear with the loss of our main building how we should use it. After discussion and exploration, it was determined that we could make a few modifications in the new building and that it could serve as the main Museum site with a new section devoted to state-of-the-art, hands-on fire safety education. Once the decision was made early in 2021, we moved forward with determination and speed to make the transition. It was great comfort to know that we would be in a building that we owned rather than rented and that we could stay in the same excellent area.

In preparation for the building purchase, the organization had begun a capital campaign in the summer of 2020 with a goal of $600,000. It was not easy to engage in a capital campaign in the midst of a pandemic, but by the beginning of 2021, we had received gifts and pledges of over $200,000. Clearly, the community was very supportive of the Museum. Nevertheless, we did not know if the rented building loss would dampen any of that support, and we did not know whether a possible $125,000 grant would be forthcoming. On this last point, the U.S. mail brought on Dec. 24, 2021, the grant check of $125,000. During the year we also received additional grants of $28,000, and other capital campaign donations of over $60,000. The capital campaign has continued to move forward beautifully, and the Museum’s financial situation is strong.

We were able to have a full complement of special events during the year, and we were able to use them to showcase the new building and its safety education facilities.

Visitor attendance increased by 25% over the previous year due to publicity and to
improvement in the pandemic situation.

C. Officers and Board Members
Chair: Curtis Peters
Vice Chair: Tim Robbins
Secretary: Lisa Green
Treasurer: Jim Keith

Additional Board Members: Rick Albers, Mary Bauer, C.J. Haunz, Marcia Hutslar, Richard Kopp, JB Lesher, Vic Megenity, Scott Mendel, Michael Noland, Terry Pennington, Pam Peters, Jeff Rider, Jim Stammerman, Bill Stone, Rich Van Gilder, Jack Vissing. During the year, we added one member to our board, Rick Van Gilder, a Jeffersonville firefighter who represents that department and who adds the wisdom of an electrician to our board.

C. Finances
Income:
Admissions, memberships, sales, etc. $ 27,182
Donations (including Cap. Campaign) 77,699
Grants 153,000
Reimbursement 26,500

TOTAL $284,381

Expenses:
Principal and Interest $162,858
Building and Exhibit Improvements 56,924
Administrative Costs 1,000
Fundraising 1,000
Additional Program Expenses 29,648

TOTAL $251,430

Net Assets at Year’s End $1,062,562

Our situation as we enter 2022 is strong, and we thank the community for making that possible.