Sotterley Needs Your Help

Bert Johnston, a member of the The Patuxent Partnership and a trustee of the Sotterley Plantation has issued the following request to the TPP community:

One of the great traits of our community is the willingness of folks to pitch in when help is needed. Even with our busy lives, we show up when the call goes out.

Historic Sotterley is the only remaining Tidewater plantation in Maryland that is fully open to the public.  A National Historic Landmark, it is older than both Mount Vernon and Monticello. Unfortunately, it does not have the financial resources of these other sites.

Did you know that Sotterley is not a state-funded site? Constant fund-raising is critical.

Did you know that several important staff positions are part-time?  Yet, in spite of these challenges, and in the midst of clean-up from the devastation caused by Hurricane Irene, the staff is successfully guiding the Riverside WineFest to its 9th year. The WineFest has become a signature event for Sotterley, and has put Southern Maryland on the map.

But it cannot be a success year after year without two key ingredients – volunteers and financial support.

The call is out. Now is the time for you and your organization to respond – commit to volunteering at the WineFest or other upcoming Sotterley events, and contribute financially to Historic Sotterley.  Executive Director Nancy Easterling said recently, “At the end of the day, Sotterley matters.”

Thank you in advance for your willingness to pitch in. It is through the support of our generous community that treasures such as Sotterley Plantation can continue and will be preserved for future generations.

Sponsorship sheets (PDF) are available at www.sotterley.com.