Honorary Chair David Von Drehle; Event Chairs Merilyn & Dr. Loren Berenbom; Executive Director Alex Burden

WILD ABOUT HARRY RAISES MORE THAN $1 MILLION FOR PRESIDENT TRUMAN'S "CLASSROOM FOR DEMOCRACY"

THANK YOU for a record-breaking benefit for Truman's presidential library and legacy! On April 18, in Kansas City, Missouri, the 25th annual benefit for Harry S. Truman's presidential library and legacy made history as it surpassed all former fund-raising records.

With nearly 800 in attendance, Wild About Harry featured remarkable conversations and messages of inspiration and hope from Senator Roy Blunt, Washington Post columnist David Von Drehle, and award-winning journalist, historian and author Evan Thomas. Drawing on President Truman's enduring legacy and making parallels to our present moment, Von Drehle noted that "75 years later, we still live in the world Truman created, bolstered by sturdy institutions like NATO, the United Nations, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, in relative peace and unprecedented prosperity that many of us take for granted." Now, more than ever, Von Drehle said, "it is urgently important to help people understand the value of this architecture, and why we would be rash and irresponsible to destroy it."

Acknowledging the challenge of partisan politics, Senator Blunt drew enthusiastic applause when he added, "We're a diverse people with diverse views of the world, and those views come together in a compromise that we call democracy."

Thank you to everyone who joined the 25th annual Wild About Harry campaign. Together, your enthusiasm, passion and commitment to history, civics education and Truman's enduring legacy of leadership raised a record-breaking $1,033,710 for outreach programs that strengthen our democracy and serve tens of thousands of students and teachers each year.

Enjoy the highlights below, and watch for complete coverage in the next issue of TRU Magazine.

CELEBRATING PRINCIPLED LEADERSHIP AND A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR AMERICA'S DEMOCRACY

"TRUMAN HAD PLENTY TO SAY ABOUT POLITICS, PUBLIC SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP: KNOW YOUR HISTORY, LISTEN HARD, DON'T SIT ON THE FENCE, FORGET THE POLLS, AND, OF COURSE, 'IF YOU CAN'T STAND THE HEAT, GET OUT OF THE KITCHEN.' OUR HONOREE, SENATOR ROY BLUNT, HAS PROVEN THAT HE CAN TAKE THE HEAT, AND GIVE SOME TOO!"

- Truman Library Institute Vice Chair Madeleine McDonough, introducing Honoree Roy Blunt

"HARRY TRUMAN REALLY DEFINED THE CURRENT WORLD IN A WAY THAT OTHERS DIDN'T.... WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PAPER TODAY—ISRAEL, NATO, ALL OF THE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WORLD TRADE AND WORLD RELATIONSHIPS—THAT'S ALL HARRY TRUMAN...A GREAT AMERICAN AND A GREAT PRESIDENT."

- Senator Roy Blunt, 2024 Truman Legacy of Leadership Awardee, in Conversation with David Von Drehle

"OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE DESPERATE FOR HOPE AND PURPOSE. THEY ARE BOMBARDED WITH HOPELESS AND DEPRESSING MESSAGES. OUR GATHERING TONIGHT, AND YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS, ADVANCE THE TRUMAN MISSION TO OFFER THEM SOMETHING ELSE, SOMETHING BETTER AND MORE TRUE.... AMERICA HAS SEEN PROBLEMS BEFORE, AND WE'VE FACED THEM, AS ORDINARY PEOPLE DOING OUR BEST. THAT'S WHAT HARRY TRUMAN REPRESENTS TO ME."

- Washington Post columnist and Honorary Event Chair David Von Drehle answers the question, Why Harry Truman?

"THE EXAMPLE OF HARRY TRUMAN GIVES ME HOPE.... YES, WE HAVE PROBLEMS GALORE. BUT WE HAVE HAD THEM BEFORE, AND SOMEHOW SOMEONE LIKE A HARRY TRUMAN COMES ALONG. WILL IT HAPPEN AGAIN? HOW CAN WE BE SURE? WE CAN'T. BUT I WOULD NOT BET AGAINST AMERICA."

- Keynote Speaker Evan Thomas, journalist, historian and author

WILD HIGHLIGHTS & PARTY PICS

HATS OFF TO OUR GENEROUS 2024 SPONSORS, HOSTS & PARTNERS

AMERICA'S FUTURE IS BRIGHT

It's not too late to be part of this WILD-ly successful event! Your support opens the doors for tens of thousands of students and teachers each year. These students count on the civics and history programs at the Truman Library, just as America is counting on their service and leadership in the years to come. Can we count on you?

If you have not yet made a gift in support of this important cause, it's not too late to add your name to the donor honor roll, which will be published in the next issue of TRU Magazine.