Dear Friends, Family, and Fans of the City Reliquary,
As we draw close to the end of another eventful year, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the many great programs and exhibitions that have been happening at your favorite local Museum, and to ask for [your support](https://www.artful.ly/the-city-reliquary/store/donate) as we plan for even more great developments in the year ahead!
As always, our tradition of presenting thought provoking, historic, and timely exhibitions was a strong point for our Museum this year. Our year started off with perhaps our most widely attended exhibit to date, “[Keep Your Eye Upon The Donut: Donut Shops Past & Present of Brooklyn & Manhattan](https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152063905842378.1073741833.51603272377&type=3).” The exhibit was curated by Julie Thomson, a self proclaimed Donut Ambassador, Historian, and former City Reliquary Volunteer! The exhibit included photographs, histories, and artifacts collected from donut distributors throughout New York City’s history ranging from donuts served to immigrants arriving on Ellis Island to present day hold-outs like Peter Pan Donut and Pastry Shop in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. There was even a mention of the exhibition by [David Letterman including a donut themed top 10 Countdown](http://www.cbs.com/shows/late_show/video/NV3FrA7dMTbNlOVupzTeJpoqcOOSNGTd/david-letterman-top-ten-things-you-didn-t-know-about-donuts-/)!
In the world of City Reliquary events, more great traditions continued to be upheld. In June, we celebrated [ONE DECADE of Bicycle Fetish Day](https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152504708702378.1073741841.51603272377&type=3) events. The Tenth Annual festival brought a reliably enthusiastic bunch of bicycle aficionados of all types. The event included representatives from our long time friends at the Puerto Rican Schwinn Club and Classic Riders, handmade bikes ranging from Frankenstein-ian to craftsman quality, BMX-ers, Velodrome riders, Low riders and everything in between.
Also this summer, I was thrilled to host the second “[Founder’s Luʻau](https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152582958007378.1073741843.51603272377&type=3)” with a hana hou (repeat performance) by Kaina Quenga and friends as well as new collaborations with more musicians and incredible authentic Hawaiian food by one of our newest restaurant neighbors “Onomea.” We had a real slice of Hawaiʻi nei right in our own backyard!
Behind the scenes at the Reliquary, we’ve had some real major developments! This year we hired a new Program Manager, Natasha Bunten, who has been helping us to usher in a new era of professionalism at the CR. We also held a Board structuring retreat at the Brooklyn Historical Society this fall with non-profit guru David Dean to help us to produce even more organized and reliably entertaining events and exhibitions in the years to come.
In the rotating exhibition room, our current display will usher us into the New Year. “[Mazel Tough](http://www.cityreliquary.org/exhibitionhall/)” is an exhibit of astounding illustrations by artist Pat Hamou of New York’s most infamous Jewish Gangsters from 1900-1945. An amazing display not only for is visual artistic value, but also for the well researched histories of the notorious criminals portrayed. And to top it off, we have several more thematic events in the works, including our [Holiday Party](https://www.facebook.com/events/905623629461481/) this Friday, which will keep things as interesting as always. The show will be on display through February 22nd.
All of these happenings at the CR have been made possible by the ongoing and tireless support of our staff of volunteers and through the support of individuals like you. To this day, we still gain the vast majority of our funding through individual donations under $100. This has allowed us a great flexibility to appeal directly to the audience we serve. It allows us to continue to share our passions and inspire the masses to come a truly appreciate what makes our city so unique!
By [supporting the City Reliquary](https://www.artful.ly/the-city-reliquary/store/donate) at the end of this year, with a tax-deductible contribution, you will help us continue the proud tradition that has become such a staple in our humble corner of this great city!
Always Civic,
Dave Herman
P.S. Anyone and everyone who donates $50 or more by the end of the year will be invited to attend a private, behind the scenes Founder's Tour on January 4th (and get a preview of the top secret new project we're working on in our front room!). Can't make it but still want to donate? You can give the tour as a gift to a loved one!
<a href="https://www.artful.ly/the-city-reliquary/store/donate" style="color: #3bacf7;font-weight: normal;text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"><span style="color:#FFFFE0"><span style="font-size:18px">** DONATE TODAY **</span></span></a>
All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. For more information on how to support The City Reliquary Museum please contact Natasha Bunten at [natasha@cityreliquary.org](mailto:natasha@cityreliquary.org?subject=Reliquary%20Inquiry).
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