The Southeastern Railway Museum (SRM) announced the Fast Track to the Future campaign to underwrite a new five-year initiative to expand and enhance the Museum.
Over the next five years, through the Fast Track to the Future program, SRM will:
- Enhance the Educational Experience – SRM will develop a classroom at the Museum to host elementary, middle school, and high school classes visiting SRM to study transportation.
- Improve and Expand Museum Exhibits – SRM will redevelop and revitalize the Museum’s collection of historic railway locomotives and cars to enhance the visitors’ experience.
- Modernize the Museum for Growth – SRM will develop a new Master Site Plan to better portray the impact of transportation on our country; make the Museum grounds more visitor-friendly while improving safety and security.
- Expand Professional Staff – SRM will recruit a full-time professional Executive Director to implement the dynamic Fast Track to the Future program.
The Southeastern Railway Museum Board of Trustees launched the Fast Track to the Future campaign in October following months of strategic planning as well as a comprehensive feasibility analysis. John Pollock, an SRM board member, is excited with the area’s early response to the project:
Pollock says: “This is an exciting time for the Southeastern Railway Museum. Fast Track to the Future is a dynamic program that will meet the current and future needs of the Museum and the thousands of visitors they serve.” Pollock added, “SRM and all of our volunteers have done an outstanding job over the last 35 years. Now, this new five-year program will take this Museum to the next level. The Fast Track initiative will enable us to do so much more in a better way.”
Joining John Pollock and the SRM Board in supporting the initiative is Lisa Anders, Executive Director of Explore Gwinnett, the county’s tourism agency. Anders says: “Now is the right time for us to focus our attention on this important education treasure. The Southeastern Railway Museum has been a “well-kept secret” in our community for years. I’m impressed with how much SRM has accomplished over the last twenty years at this location through hard work and determination. This new initiative will help us strengthen and enhance SRM’s current programs and enable the Museum to implement new programs that will make it a stronger more vibrant tourist destination. Ultimately, the Fast Track to the Future program will significantly impact not only the lives of all who visit the Museum…but it will impact the lives of all who live and work in our area.”
Pollock added, “The Fast Track to the Future campaign is off to a great start. We focused our early efforts on organizing the campaign, enlisting leadership, and soliciting pledges from our SRM staff, Board of Trustees, and volunteers. We have already raised 20% of our goal in the process! Excitement is building for this important initiative as we enter 2021!”
The Fast Track to the Future campaign has established a five-year goal of $1 Million to be raised from corporate and community leaders in the Gwinnett County / North Metro Atlanta region. The Southeastern Railway Museum is located at 3595 Buford Highway, one mile south of the Duluth city center. For further information or to get involved in the campaign, please contact Steve Dorough in the Fast Track to the Future campaign office (678-906-4081) or at sdorough@fcdusda.com.
