January 4, 2018
Dear Friends of the Jacob Leisler Institute,
As 2018 dawns, I greet you all with best wishes for a productive and healthy New Year that lasts throughout the year.
Our third, going on fourth, year has been a busy one with progress in all directions. We bid adieu to Trustee Charles Zabriskie, Jr., in 2017, but not forever. We elected him our first Trustee Emeritus, and we continue to benefit from his experience and advice, so generously given. We welcomed two new trustees in 2017, Jeff Rigby and Gary Laube, both of whom bring valuable experience to the Board, Jeff as a professional archival preservationist and Gary as a long-time pursuer of Jacob Leisler and his times. Gary is a direct descendant of one of the justices at Jacob Leisler’s trial in 1691, which found him guilty of treason.
We made great strides in cataloging our book collection, with the help of intern Tina Lesem, and in acquiring proper archival materials such as acid-free folders and clear polypropylene sleeves to protect our precious documents. We are considering applying for a New York State “Collections Needs Assessment” grant to help with such expenses in 2018.
A number of Board members composed, with the advice of Joan Castle, a professional fundraiser located in Hudson, an outstanding letter to our donor list, and an accompanying brochure, which are proving to be quite productive. And in collaboration with the Hudson Area Library’s History Lecture Series, we have launched our first set of three lectures to begin in February and to continue into the Spring.
At our fourth Annual Meeting in August 2018, I expect we will have many more achievements and advances to report!
Thank you for all you do to make the Jacob Leisler Institute for the Study of Early New York History the dynamic organization it is destined to be.
Sincerely,
Firth Haring Fabend
President