As the clock winds down on 2016, the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association has announced a new matching gift opportunity to support its efforts to preserve George Washington’s home to its 1799 appearance. Thanks to the generosity of Karen Buchwald Wright, Mount Vernon invites patriotic individuals, organizations, and corporations to triple the impact of their contributions by taking part in the KBW Historic Preservation Challenge. All contributions made to this campaign before the end of the year will be matched by Wright at a rate of 2 to 1.

“To me, Mount Vernon is so clearly a reflection of the man who made it his own, and I’m honored to be part of its continued existence as the most important house in America,” said Wright. A longtime Mount Vernon supporter, Wright oversees Ariel Corporation, an Ohio-based manufacturer of gas compression equipment. With her latest gift, issued through the KBW Challenge, she has pledged up to $1 million to the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association to establish an endowment to ensure the safety of the Mansion and the fifteen other original structures.

“The Mansion and outbuildings are exposed to the elements all day, every day, and the wear and tear on these nearly 300-year-old structures is tremendous,” said Mount Vernon’s president, Curt Viebranz. “We simply don’t have the resources to keep up with our growing backlog of preservation work. Through the challenge that Karen has issued to all of our friends and supporters, we will be better positioned to respond to immediate preservation concerns and plan for the future.”

To learn more about the KBW Challenge and to make a contribution, visit http://www.mountvernon.org/KBWchallenge.

Since 1860, more than 85 million visitors have made George Washington’s Mount Vernon the most popular historic home in America. A privately-owned national treasure, Mount Vernon is maintained and operated by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association. Since purchasing the estate from the Washington family and assuming stewardship in 1858, the Association has embraced a heroic mission to preserve, protect, and maintain the estate for the American people, relying exclusively on private donations, admission fees, and restaurant and retail proceeds. Through robust education and outreach programs, the Association expands awareness about the exceptional life and character of George Washington, sustaining his legacy through research, interpretation, and public education. In experiences on the estate and through its digital outreach platforms, Mount Vernon strives to preserve George Washington’s place in history as “First in War, First in Peace, and First in the Hearts of His Countrymen.”