As you know, this past year has been a time of tremendous change and financial turmoil for The Mount. In February, our primary bank threatened to foreclose on the property, and in response we launched an emergency campaign to save The Mount. Over $1.3 million in gifts and pledges poured in from around the country and the world, and this generosity has given us time to reassess our mission and operations, and to begin creating a financially viable model for The Mount's future. To that end, we are working with our creditors to reduce our debt to a more manageable level, and we are presently in the process of formulating an exciting new vision for The Mount. While we will of course continue to honor Edith Wharton and her significant contributions to literature, architecture, interior design and gardening, our goal is to expand our mission to encompass celebrating the literary arts in all their forms. We look forward to announcing the details of our plans early in the new year. In the meantime, The Mount continues to need funds to operate as we work to secure its future. We appreciate that these are very difficult times financially and we are deeply thankful to those of you have already stepped forward to support us. If you have yet to join our efforts to save The Mount, we hope you will consider making a donation today. With gratitude and best wishes for the holidays, Susan Wissler Executive Director More
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