Director of Development to Present at Inclusive Museum Conference
by Jillian Decker, Director of Development
Museums face competing priorities every day: the mantle as the authority on our content; 
the responsibility to our constituents to provide compelling and entertaining experiences; the imperative to expand and diversify our audience; the obligation to our Board and stakeholders for sustainability. How do we balance these disparate responsibilities without losing sight of our mission and the communities we are committed to serving?
These challenges will be the main focus of my upcoming presentation at the 12th International Conference on the Inclusive Museum being held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, November 7-9, 2019. Founded in 2008, the International Conference on the Inclusive Museum brings together a community of museum practitioners, researchers and thinkers. The International Conference on the Inclusive Museum is built upon four key features: Internationalism, Interdisciplinarity, Inclusiveness, and Interaction. Conference delegates include leaders in the field as well as emerging scholars, who travel to the conference from all corners of the globe and represent a broad range of disciplines and perspectives. A variety of presentation options and session types offer delegates multiple opportunities to engage, to discuss key issues in the field, and to build relationships with scholars from other cultures and disciplines.
I am honored to be presenting for the third time at the International Conference on the Inclusive Museum. I am presenting on the launch of our new fundraising initiative, the Remembrance Program. This program strives to connect our community directly with the brave New Jerseyans whose names are remembered on our Memorial wall. We are inviting members of our community – individuals, families, businesses – to adopt one of the 366 panels each year. By adopting a panel, donors are ensuring that their courage and sacrifices along with their stories are remembered. These gifts, along with those of so many others, will demonstrate our steadfast support of our Veterans, their families, and our commitment to remembering their legacies.
The Remembrance Program allows our community to find connections to the individuals whose names are engraved in the dark granite. Reflected behind the names are unique personalities, family memories, and communities deeply touched by their sacrifice.
The Remembrance Program is also a unique program that connects our donors to every aspect of our mission. By
adopting a panel at the Memorial, donors are ensuring that the stories of the brave New Jerseyans honored on your panel are taught to generations to come. Contributions support our education and outreach programs that rely on the resources unique to the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Foundation. Donations to this program actively keep the memory of these brave New Jerseyans alive as a vivid piece of our State’s history. Contributions ensure that the legacies of our Veterans are never forgotten.
The Remembrance Program also supports the Foundation’s efforts to preserve our history in the letters, keepsakes, and mementos that are left at the wall in memory of those who served. Contributions provide much-needed support for the conservation of priceless artifacts that help us tell the complete story of the Vietnam Era.
At its core, the Remembrance Program provides resources for the Foundation to research the lives and stories of the 1,563 New Jerseyans honored on our wall. These stories allow Vietnam Veterans, their families, our communities, and students to find connections to every Veteran honored on the Memorial.
Join us in our commitment to the 1,563 New Jerseyans remembered on the panels of the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial. By adopting one of our 366 panels for the next year, you will find connections to the individuals whose names are engraved in the dark granite. Reflected behind the names are unique personalities, family memories, and communities deeply touched by their sacrifice.
The Remembrance Program has officially launched as part of our Annual Appeal, which runs from November through December each year. For more information on the program, please visit the official Remembrance Program webpage or contact me at jdecker@njvvmf.org or call 732.335.0033 x110.