< PreviousPhoto by Andrew Pielage10Western Pennsylvania ConservancyImprovements to the facilities offered at High Meadow continued in 2017 with the completion of the Cheteyan Studio and Nutting Kitchen, thanks to funding Judy and Michael Cheteyan Educational/Charitable Foundation and the Nutting Foundation, respectively. The Fallingwater Institute also welcomed two artists through its Artist-In-Residence Program in 2017: Andrew Pielage and Jessi Reaves. Pielage has photographed more than 40 Frank Lloyd Wright sites around the country and joined us last year to photograph the site as part of his project. He also offered photography workshops at Fallingwater for adults and high school students, allowing participants to explore the house and grounds while refining their photography skills. Reaves’ time onsite was spent gaining inspiration from Fallingwater’s modern art and furniture, which will help guide her future sculptural work.PRESERVING ART IN NATURE: FLOOD RESPONSEIn July, water from a flash flood raced down Bear Run stream, uprooting several trees and sweeping debris and rocks onto the house’s hatchway stairs and against the plunge pool. The flood almost took one of Fallingwater’s most iconic sculptures with it — Lipchitz’s Mother and Child. Fallingwater’s maintenance and preservation teams worked diligently to repair the stone wall and mortar, as well as assess and repair Mother and Child. By November, the sculpture was placed back in its spot along the plunge pool wall for visitors to enjoy. It wasn’t the first time that Mother and Child had toppled off the plunge pool ledge. In 1956, a flood swept the sculpture down Bear Run. It was subsequently recovered and reinstalled on the plunge pool, anchored with a chain — the very one that saved the sculpture in 2017. Fallingwater joined Wright-designed public buildings across the country to commemorate the anniversary of Frank Lloyd Wright’s 150th birthday in 2017. To recognize Wright’s contribution to architecture, Fallingwater offered a special exhibition in the Speyer Gallery focused on the places where Wright lived and worked, a series of free lectures, special menu items in the Fallingwater Café and commemorative items in the Museum Store. We welcomed a total 175,121 visitors to the site during the 2017 tour season. Educational programming remained a priority at Fallingwater. In total, we hosted 11,252 students, teachers and lifelong learners for educational programming last year. This includes more than 2,100 students who participated in the Learning Through Architecture program, which augments classroom learning for students in grades 3-12 in Fayette, Greene and Washington counties. In addition, students from more than 5,000 schools across the country visited Fallingwater for field trips and other educational activities. The Gnome House Design Challenge, offered for home-school students and as a supplement to traditional classrooms, engaged 103 students during the 2016-2017 school year.PRESERVING ANOTHER LOCAL LANDMARK: HICKMAN CHAPELFor decades, travelers have passed an unassuming, white chapel and cemetery along Route 381 in Stewart Township on their way to and from Fallingwater. With a waning congregation and little public use, the trustees of the Hickman Chapel decided to preserve the landmark for future generations by donating it to the Conservancy in 2017. Built in 1901, Hickman Chapel has been a longtime landmark on the Fayette County landscape that served the community as a space for church services, weddings, funerals and meetings until the 1980s. It was important to the trustees that the chapel, along with one acre of land surrounding it, remained part of the local history.“The protection of Hickman Chapel was one of the most positive things we’ve done for the community in 30 years,” said Lynda Waggoner, who served as Fallingwater’s director until April 2018. “It’s important to the heritage of Fallingwater and the Laurel Highlands to preserve and manage the chapel and associated land as part of the Bear Run Nature Reserve.” A Fayette County Tourism Program grant administered by the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau helped fund this project and future improvements, such as a new roof and exterior paint.FALLINGWATER INSTITUTE CONTINUES TO WELCOME DIVERSE STUDENTSThe Fallingwater Institute’s High Meadow hosted its first full year of residency program participants last year. The renovated and expanded High Meadow facility opened in 2016. Thanks to this expansion, 84 people participated in programs through the Fallingwater Institute and were housed at High Meadow in 2017. Hickman Chapel before and after exterior renovations11COMMUNITYEastern redbud tree planted as part of the Pittsburgh Redbud Project12Western Pennsylvania ConservancyThe Western Pennsylvania Conservancy’s community gardens and greenspace program continued to grow in 2017 with the addition of two new gardens along with the planting of thousands of flowers and other greenery. We also planted more than 2,100 trees through WPC’s community forestry program, which impacted communities in Pittsburgh, Ligonier, Johnstown and Erie. More than 11,500 volunteers joined us in this work to beautify the region, including 210 school groups, 262 community groups and 181 corporate partners.NEW COMMUNITY GARDENS BLOSSOM IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIAThe Conservancy’s community flower gardens bring a connection to nature in places where it may otherwise be difficult to find. Route 65 near Pittsburgh’s North Side is one such place. This barren, concrete corridor was first imagined as a potential location for a garden by WPC members Nelson and Carol Craige more than 20 years ago. Thanks to their perseverance and funding from the Craiges, Garden Club of Allegheny County and Rivers Casino, the Conservancy transformed a 1,400-foot-long median corridor between the Manchester neighborhood and the West End Bridge into a brand new garden last year. The Craiges weren’t the only forward-thinking community members to add landscape to their community in 2017. The Conneaut Lake Garden Club worked closely with community members and groups to obtain financial sponsorship in support of a community garden in Conneaut Lake in Crawford County. The garden, located at the intersection of routes 6 and 285, had been in existence for a decade. However, in honor of the group’s 10th anniversary, the garden club wanted to sustain the garden into the future with the Conservancy’s help. The WPC Conneaut Lake garden is sponsored by Dr. Peter and Joan Castelli.NEW PLAY SPACES ENCOURAGE OUTDOOR LEARNINGChildren with physical disabilities often don’t have access to the same learning and play opportunities outdoors as other children. Teachers at Sunnyside Elementary in Pittsburgh’s Stanton Heights faced this in their early childhood class. The outdoor play area at Sunnyside wasn’t wheelchair-accessible or conducive to meaningful outdoor experiences for students with visual disabilities. To improve the outdoor play experiences for all children at Sunnyside, we created wheelchair-accessible pathways, raised herb beds and a Farmer’s Market Play Store as part of playground greening improvements in 2017. We also created a play space where students are encouraged to “touch and feel,” as well as a drum made from recycled material, adding elements of both touch and sound. And in 2017, we put finishing touches on the outdoor play space at Grandview Early Childhood, a program of Pittsburgh Public Schools. New grass, shrubs and flowers now grow in the play area, which features a climbing rock, discovery and education space, bird houses and a bench. Mosaic details were applied to bug-themed stepping stones and the fence was designed with mosaics the help of PNC “Grow Up Great” volunteers in April. The Conservancy’s work to improve outdoor play spaces for early childhood centers is generously funded by PNC Grow Up Great, a program of PNC Charitable Trust.INCREASING THE URBAN TREE CANOPYLast year’s tree plantings brought our total number of trees planted since 2008 to 30,239 trees — including those through TreeVitalize Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Redbud Project, and our regional planting programs in places like Ligonier and Erie. We also expanded our geographic footprint to Johnstown, where we planted 25 trees. The TreeVitalize Pittsburgh partnership planted 350 trees last year in 23 Pittsburgh neighborhoods and Allegheny County communities and parks, concluding its 20th planting season. The Pittsburgh Redbud Project also continued to bring blossoming Eastern redbud trees to Pittsburgh’s riverfronts thanks to Colcom Foundation. With the help of volunteers, we planted 565 trees and 192 shrubs. We also gave away more than 1,000 redbud tree seedlings to the public. Rustic wood benches and foot bridges at Sunnyside Elementary in Pittsburgh’s Stanton Heights neighborhood were among the improvements to the school’s outdoor play spaces in 2017.WPC staff planted daylilies, purple coneflower, sea green juniper and mugo pine plants at a new community flower garden along Pittsburgh’s Route 65.132017 Annual Report2017 FINANCIAL SUMMARYOPERATING REVENUESOPERATING EXPENSESMillions Contributions, Grants and Memberships:$ 2.33.20.65.0IndividualFoundationBusinessGovernmentMillions Earned Income: PROGRAMS 84%GOVERNMENT 23%SALES 12%BUSINESS 3%FOUNDATIONS 15%INDIVIDUAL 11%FALLINGWATER ADMISSIONS 24%OTHER 2%INVESTMENT RETURN 10%FUNDRAISING 7%ADMINISTRATIVE 9%$ 5.12.50.7Fallingwater Admissions Sales (Gift Shop/Café) OtherInvestment return designated for current operationsTOTALTOTAL $ 2.2$21.6Millions Internal Income:Programs:Millions $ 6.76.62.70.90.9ConservationFallingwaterCommunity Gardens and GreenspaceConstituent Programs and OutreachDepreciation1.51.9 $21.2Millions Program Support:FundraisingAdministrative and General Expenses 14Western Pennsylvania ConservancyWITH GRATEFUL APPRECIATION FOR OUR GENEROUS DONORSAs a membership-based organization, the Conservancy relies on the generosity of its members each year to fulfill its mission. In 2017, 10,320 private donors (individuals, foundations, corporations and organizations) supported the Conservancy’s work, thus enabling us to achieve our goals. Together, these supporters donated $7,019,790 in outright cash, stock and in-kind gifts.We are honored to recognize both the generous future commitments of our Heritage Circle members as well as remember the legacies of those who have passed on. Donors of $100 or more are listed in the following pages; we regret that space constraints prohibit acknowledging all members by name. We have made every effort to ensure our donor lists are accurate and reflect gifts made from Jan. 1, 2017 through Dec. 31, 2017. However, should you find an error or omission, please contact Max Staudacher, donor relations coordinator, toll free at 1-866-564-6972, ext. 2336, or via email at mstaudacher@paconserve.org.WPC stabilized more than 1,000 feet of streambank and planted 400 riparian trees last year along Chest Creek at the Gooderham Farm in Cambria County. 152017 Annual ReportABOVE: WPC Members Sue and Ron Brenner enjoy a hike during Members’ Day.HERITAGE CIRCLE GIFT PLANNING SOCIETYThe Heritage Circle recognizes donors who have made the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy a part of their legacy through their estate plans. By designating the Conservancy as a beneficiary of a donor’s will, trust, IRA, retirement plan, life insurance policy or charitable gift annuity, individuals provide long-term, significant support for the Conservancy. Contact Julie Holmes, director of development, toll-free at 1-866-564-6972 (ext. 2312) or jholmes@paconserve.org for more details. ANNUAL FUNDGifts to the annual fund are essential in sustaining our daily operations. These vital contributions enable the Conservancy to carry out its mission throughout the year. You can also provide dependable income for WPC and Fallingwater by making your annual gift through convenient monthly deductions via credit card, debit card or ACH/EFT transfer from a designated financial account. LEADERSHIP CIRCLE AND KAUFMANN SOCIETYThe Conservancy’s Leadership Circle members, including Kaufmann Society donors, whose gifts are directed for Fallingwater, have made the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy’s work a philanthropic priority. Members who make annual gifts of $1,000 or more are recognized through the Leadership Circle program. The Conservancy recognizes this significant commitment by providing enhanced access to our programs, special outings and additional insights into our plans throughout the year. Become a monthly donor and make your $1,000+ annual gift in convenient monthly deductions – a simple way to make a big difference! EVERGREEN CIRCLE Members of the Evergreen Circle have loyally supported the Conservancy for at least 15 of the last 20 years. Some have been members for much longer – with memberships dating back to the 1950s! Their loyal and continuous support has been a crucial part of our successful work. We are deeply grateful for those who consistently support our efforts each and every year. EMPLOYEE MATCHING GIFT PROGRAMMany companies and organizations will match employee contributions, greatly increasing the impact of your gift to WPC. Please contact your human resources office for further information. SPECIAL GIFTSThe Conservancy deeply appreciates gifts of appreciated stock, real estate property, in-kind gifts and multi-year commitments in support of our programs. For more information about special gift giving, please contact the Conservancy’s development office at 412-586-2336 or development@paconserve.org.To learn more about how you can help, contact Max Staudacher, donor relations coordinator, toll-free at 1-866-564-6972 (ext. 2336) or via email at mstaudacher@paconserve.org. Additional information can be found on our website at WaterLandLife.org.HOW YOU CAN HELPThe Western Pennsylvania Conservancy relies on the support of more than 10,000 member households and more than 11,700 volunteers to fulfill its mission to conserve water, land and life. Your continued involvement will ensure that our work continues. 312017 Annual Report800 Waterfront Drive Pittsburgh, PA 15222 412-288-2777 info@paconserve.org WaterLandLife.org VOLUNTEERSTHANK YOUto all of our MAKING A DIFFERENCEVisit WaterLandLife.org for information on current volunteer opportunities or call us toll free at 1-866-564-6972.in our communities!Volunteers planting trees in Pittsburgh’s Garfield neighborhoodNext >