Main fundraiser photo

SRAC Giving Campaign

Look and listen for the welfare of the whole people and have always in view not only the past and present but also the coming generations…
- The Constitution of the Iroquois Nations


Please join us in bringing together community members - from young people to senior citizens– to help save the unique ancient traces of our earliest inhabitants of this beautiful river valley!


The Susquehanna River Archaeological Center (SRAC) is a non-profit organization located in Waverly N.Y., a small rural town that like so many has been struggling to adapt to today’s challenging economic times. We are dedicated to education, research and preservation of the region’s archaeological and historical assets for the communities within the Twin Tier Region of Southeastern NY and Northeastern PA community.


Founded in 2005, and run 100% by volunteer staffing, our nonprofit (501c3) Center is dedicated to the education, preservation, and research of the Native American past of our region. We do not accept state or federal funding and all of our funding comes from our membership, the revenues that we can generate at the Center, and donations from philanthropic foundations and generous individuals like you. We are currently the only Center of our kind in the Northeast. We have worked with over 100 local collectors to bring their collections under one roof for researchers to be able to use to further the study of our prehistoric past, and for our community to enjoy


SRAC is located in a historic downtown storefront purchased in 2007, renovated by our volunteers into a museum and research center – and which is now the core of a newly revitalized section of Waverly’s original main street. The Center holds a vast collection of ancient artifacts from the region, hosts presentations and events, serves as a hands-on classroom for children and college interns - and is dependent upon volunteers and donations. Anyone can visit our museum without cost during our normal business hours.


We have a museum gift shop, a lecture hall that seats 75 people, and an exhibit hall filled with thousands of local Native American artifacts that date as far back as the ice age (12 – 15 thousand years ago) to the Revolutionary War (1770s).


We are honored to be listed as an important destination along New York State’s “Path Through History.” We give personal tours and accept group tours as well as school field trips. All of this makes us a popular destination, serving thousands of visitors every year round.


Our Mission:
1.) Provide a safe museum space where local collections can be preserved for future generations to marvel at the archaeological evidence that tells the story of the people who lived here before us.
2.) Provide an educational experience for K-12 and university students from the region
3.) Research and report the area’s local archaeological and prehistoric past
4.) Engage the public in understanding the importance of the Native American past and archaeology of our region
5.) Brand SRAC in the community and help them to understand our mission
6.) To research and salvage information from archaeological sites that are in danger of destruction from modern land use.


Currently we have entered a new phase of undertaking the excavation and documentation of a Native American site that dates to around 1375 A.D. that is being impacted by modern land use and construction along the Susquehanna River. In the summer and fall of 2016, individuals came together, guided by professional archaeologists and scholars, to excavate portions of a prehistoric village. Pottery specimens, broken stone implements, traces of food debris, and other snapshots of the original people of this place and space were recovered. Work is now continuing with cataloging and analyzing these materials. Our explorations generated much excitement in the region and we plan to continue our research.


OUR CRITICAL NEED is to find funds to provide operational support as well as to provide funds to purchase equipment to help in the preservation of our existing collections, create and maintain laboratory and research space and equipment, and purchase gear for fieldwork.


OUR WISHLIST OF MUCH NEEDED CAPITAL EQUIPMENT INCLUDES:
• Laboratory equipment, such as microscopes, sorting screens, special archival storage cabinet and storage boxes
• Renovation of the Lab Area and our Research Library
• Laboratory and field computers
• Field equipment such as digital camera and photo boards and scales, trowels and hand tools, and excavation screens.
• Specialized field equipment: A UtilityScan Pro ground penetrating radar system to “see” below the ground without excavating and the special RADAN 7 software to process the tdata - $24,500. This would allow us to scan and determine a site before excavation causing less damage and we also recognize the value it could bring in making it available to other research or educational teams that might benefit from this technology in our region.

As you can see, we have been hard at work and have big plans for the future of our Center, AND WE HOPE YOU WILL BE A PART OF IT WITH US! Please donate today. A donations as small as $5 makes a difference to small organization like ours!

If you prefer to mail in your donation, mail to:

SRAC - Giving Campaign
345 Broad Street
Waverly, NY 14892

We appreciate anything you can give towards our cause! Thank you!
Donate

Donations 

  • Anonymous
    • $200 
    • 5 yrs
Donate

Organizer

Deb Twigg
Organizer
Waverly, NY

Your easy, powerful, and trusted home for help

  • Easy

    Donate quickly and easily.

  • Powerful

    Send help right to the people and causes you care about.

  • Trusted

    Your donation is protected by the  GoFundMe Giving Guarantee.