Pawling Community Foundation Grant

Akin Hall Association has received a second grant from the Pawling Community Foundation to
support the ongoing stabilization of the Natural History collections in the Gunnison Museum at
Akin Free Library. In the grant application, Curator Terry Ariano stated immediate goals for the
Library to include completing “an ongoing inventory of the building contents, to provide proper
conservation and care of the on-site collections and to stabilize the natural history exhibits.”
Funding was specifically requested “to continue to upgrade the display and care of the
Gunnison Natural History Museum collections. These collections are in dire need of stabilization
and cleaning to preserve them for present and future generations to view.”

Pawling Community Foundation awarded $2000 to support this process. Last year, work was
completed to replace broken glass in cases, and to clean and stabilize objects in 30 cases. The
collection was donated to Akin Free Library in 1961 by Olive Gunnison, a Quaker Hill resident
who amassed the group of over 6500 objects on view during her lifetime of collecting. The work
to clean and stabilize objects and improve environmental conditions in the Museum is expected
to take several years, and the grant is welcome support for this ongoing process. In addition,
Olive’s granddaughter Alice has donated funds towards the process. “It is rewarding that the
Pawling Community Foundation recognizes the importance of the Akin Free Library in the
community, and specifically the Gunnison Museum of Natural History,” said Ariano. “This
collection draws visitors from around the country to see its unusual specimens. Local residents,
visitors and school groups return repeatedly to view and study the amazing collections. We are
so grateful for the PCF support.”