To our supporters of the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum,

Welcome to 2022! The last year has been quite an adventure and for me much of it was literally a blur. As some MuseLetter readers may know, I got caught up in the historic events of the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 25, 2021, I contracted the coronavirus and fell ill. As fate would have it, it happened just days away from when I became eligible to receive the vaccination. 

My story is one that has been all too common since the start of the pandemic. I ended up gravely ill and hospitalized for four months, in the ICU for half that time, and away from the museum for nearly six months. I cannot adequately express my gratitude for the efforts of the many healthcare professionals that saved my life, aided my recovery, and continue to support my rehabilitation. While my condition wasn’t widely known, the word did get out. My family and I received numerous get-well cards from museum supporters and friends. These were also greatly appreciated and helpful in keeping my spirits up.

They say that these types of experiences give you a new perspective on life. I know that it gave me a renewed appreciation for the CSPM staff, board and volunteers. The museum never missed a beat while I was gone! I want to give special credit to Curator of History Leah Davis Witherow, who served as interim director during my absence. She very ably led the team and maintained focus on numerous strategic projects. Visitors returned to the museum in droves. Despite the challenging and uncertain times, the CSPM’s attendance recovered to 66% of its pre-pandemic visitation. The museum organized and was a featured part of Colorado Springs’ 150^th anniversary celebration. The staff also oversaw a grant-funded project to upgrade the HVAC equipment at our collections storage facility that will ensure vastly improved environmental conditions for artifacts and documents entrusted to the museum’s care. We also met our fundraising goals and raised $435,000 to support the museum’s mission. 

I want to thank everyone involved with the museum. We accomplish so much through teamwork and dedication to our mission. There are more exciting plans in the works and much left to accomplish. I am so excited and delighted to start a new year and be back to the work I love!  

Sincerely,

Matt Mayberry, Director