2001       -        2002         -       2003         -       2004

Sunday, April 29, 2001

Pack Place "Family Day"

Family Day, 2001

photo by Bill Murphy

"We want to give the community the opportunity to come together and show the county how much Pack Place means to them."  

- Diana Bilbrey, 2001 Chair 

Pack Place Board of Trustees

Pack Place was in the midst of a financial crisis.  Commitments from local governments enabled the construction of Pack Place and provided for its continued operation.  In 2001, Buncombe County budget cuts seized 25% of Pack Place's annual funding.  Despite efforts to cut back on essential services, Pack Place was unable to reduce the cost of operations enough to offset the $100,000 cut in County funding.  The Pack Place Board of Trustees considered the closing of Pack Place on certain days of the week as a means to cut back on operations unacceptable.  Pack Place still suffers from the reduction in funding today.  

Pack Place decided to "close" its doors on Sunday, April 29th - not as a cost-saving measure but as a means of celebration.  We suspended our normal public schedule and opened from 2-5pm.  We reached out to the community for support - offering clowns, treats and refreshments, performing artists, facilities tours and special activities for a small one-price admission fee to all the attractions.  Pack Place's "Family Day" was a unique way to fully experience all that our organization has to offer.  Families and friends helped to make Family Day a success - raising over $20,000 in contributions.      

Thank you for your support!

"A Love Affair With Pack Place"

10th Anniversary Kick-Off Celebration

Saturday, March 23rd

2002

To kick off our 10th Anniversary celebration, Pack Place and its Partner Organizations hosted an evening of music, food and award-winning comedy, featuring comedian Lynn Trefzger, music by Buncombe County Schools, a multimedia history of Pack Place as narrated by Louis Bissette and a silent auction.  Ticketholders and contributors raised almost $15,000 for this fun, "friendraising" event.  Thanks to its contributors, Pack Place continues to support the exhibits, programs and educational offerings of its Partner Organizations, who have made Pack Place the cultural center of Western North Carolina.  Pack Place still needs your support!

COMING SOON - 2003 & 2004 Fundraising Highlights