Kings Mountain Historical Museum has been selected as one of three finalists, along with the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation and the Allegro Foundation, in WTVI PBS Charlotte's Community Give Back nonprofit spotlight contest. The three finalists each received a video profile that aired during "Carolina Impact," and can be used by each organization to help them promote their cause for years to come. The video profile provided valuable exposure on televisions across WTVI's 13-county viewing region.
Kings Mountain Historical Museum's video aired on Tuesday, April 21. Viewers will then choose the contest winner by voting at www.pbscharlotte.org from April 21 through May 5. The winning organization will receive $10,000 in free underwriting on PBS Charlotte.
"We saw the impact of local voters recently when Red Bridges Barbecue Lodge in Shelby won the 2015 Garden & Gun Ultimate Barbecue Bracket. That was local voters who cared enough to make that happen. We are hoping the community will come together again to support the Museum with their votes. The $10,000 in free underwriting would have a huge impact on driving local tourism and economic development," said Kings Mountain Historical Museum Director Adria Focht.
Kings Mountain Historical Museum's video profile highlights the community partnership project centered around Liberty Mountain, the Revolutionary drama penned by renowned author and playwright Bob Inman and presented by the Kings Mountain Little Theatre. Liberty Mountain's summer performances are expected to draw over 3,000 people to the Kings Mountain area this summer, and the Museum and its partner organizations plan to create an authentic, multifaceted cultural experience for these visitors with a variety of activities at multiple venues. Partners on this project include the Southern Arts Society, the Kings Mountain Little Theatre, the Mauney Memorial Library, the City of Kings Mountain, the Kings Mountain Main Street Program, and the Chamber of Commerce.
The video showcases this partnership and the many cultural attractions and resources that Kings Mountain has to offer to local and out-of-town visitors, with the goal of enhancing the City's image as a destination for tourism. The five-minute promo is chockfull of exciting clips of Liberty Mountain actors on stage and at the Museum, soundbites from Bob Inman, Mayor Murphrey, and more.
"Much like our City's founders, who, in patriotic spirit, named the town after the pivotal Revolutionary battle that occurred nine miles to the south, we recognize that the international historical significance of the Battle of Kings Mountain has the power to draw visitors from around the world. We also recognize that through our collaboration, which collectively represents the arts, culture, history, education, and economic development of this area, we can have a bigger impact and better serve the people of our region," said the Museum's President, Susan Champion.
The video will improve efforts to promote these activities as a single attraction, and will boost the publicity reach substantially. By increasing awareness of cultural opportunities in Kings Mountain throughout PBS Charlotte's 13-county viewing area, our entire community will benefit from this promotion.
The video profile also holds the potential to take the publicity opportunity to the next level: if chosen by the viewers, the Museum would receive $10,000 in free underwriting - which means advertising. This promotional support reaches far beyond the Museum's current resources for advertising and marketing, and will again support the City's image as a destination for tourism, this time on a much larger scale.
We encourage you to look for the video and to vote for Kings Mountain Historical Museum at www.pbscharlotte.org from April 21 through May 5. We need your vote! Check the Museum's Facebook page for updates.
-Submitted by Adria L. Focht, Director & Curator