Dear Friend of CAMWS,
I am writing to ask you to help with a recent initiative undertaken by our Association to support teaching and scholarship in archaeology among our members. The Excavation and Field School Award, instituted only two years ago, recognized the increasing value of field work in archaeology for attracting students to the study of Greek and Roman antiquity. Unfortunately, the resources that we have been able to allocate to these awards thus far limit the number of people who can hope to take advantage of this opportunity. The award is currently $2,000, a considerable sum, but recipients do need to supplement this amount significantly from other sources in order to participate in any overseas program. This is a particular hardship for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds or for our teachers who are chronically underpaid.
The Buddhas of Bamiyan, El Hibeh, Palmyra… These are only some of the archaeological sites that have been in the news recently, the latest in a depressing ledger of losses to our cultural heritage. As individuals there is little that most of us can do to help, but as an organization dedicated to teaching and scholarship, CAMWS can support the educational and training programs that spread understanding of the value of preserving and learning from the works of the past. Won’t you help in this endeavor?
To date we have received over $20,000.00 in gifts and pledges from current and former officers of CAMWS. We hope at least to double that amount between now and our next Annual Meeting in Williamsburg in March, 2016, and with your help we can.
There are many ways that you can give to this effort, which we are calling “2016: The Campaign for CAMWS.” You may use this pledge form, which you may fill out and email to Tom Sienkewicz at stcamws@gmail.com or return by post (to CAMWS, Monmouth College, 700 E. Broadway, Monmouth, IL 61462.). You can also pay on-line or you can make a donation on the CAMWS website at https://camws.org/donate. If you are interested in making a testamentary bequest, please contact us.
A gift of any size demonstrates our Association’s commitment to teaching and scholarship in the material culture of Greek and Roman antiquity. If you have any questions or ideas about how to help, I hope that you will contact me or any of the other members of the campaign committee, CAMWS stalwarts all: Antony Augoustakis, John Breuker, Ruth Scodel, Alden Smith, and Tyler Jo Smith.
Thank you for all you do for CAMWS.
Peter E. Knox
Chair, 2016: Campaign for CAMWS