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Fountain Collections for Five Months to Benefit Crossing the Finish Line; School Penny Race to Provide First Donation

Philadelphia, PA (May 11, 2005) – Toss a penny in the fountain and make a wish come true! The National Constitution Center introduces its new “Lincoln Penny Fountain” to correspond with the run of the Center’s new Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War exhibit.  Donated by Rhoads Garden of North Wales, Pennsylvania, the Lincoln Penny Fountain will be located in the Grand Hall, which is free and open to the public, from May 25 through November 4.  All coins put in the fountain during its five month display at the Center will be given to Crossing the Finish Line, a non-profit organization that provides free excursions to young adult cancer patients and their caregivers. 

To give the “Lincoln Penny Fountain” a good start, two classes from Mill Creek Elementary School in Warrington, PA will compete in a Penny Race at the National Constitution Center on May 25 at 12:00 p.m.  Seven classes from the school began collecting pennies earlier this month and the two that collect the most will compete in this “race” to see which class’ coins go the farthest on the Center’s sprawling second floor Grand Hall Overlook. Winners of the Penny Race will receive a pizza party, and the proceeds raised will be the first contribution to the “Lincoln Penny Fountain.”  

Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War, the National Constitution Center’s first traveling exhibition, is open from June 10 through November 4, 2005.  Developed in partnership with The Lincoln Museum in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and in cooperation with the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War, is a 2,500-square-foot exhibition that highlights the three constitutional crises which Lincoln faced as President – secession, slavery and civil liberties during the Civil War.  The exhibition explores how one individual, who was deeply committed to the belief that citizens can make a real difference, exercised leadership at a pivotal time of crisis for the nation, the Constitution, and the course of freedom worldwide.  The exhibition is being made possible by a $1 million grant from Lincoln Financial Group as part of its 100th anniversary celebration. 

Admission to the Lincoln exhibition is included with the National Constitution Center’s regular admission fee of $9 for adults, $7 for seniors ages 62 and up, children ages 4-12, and active military personnel, and $5.50 for groups of 20 or more.  Children ages 3 and under are free.  For more information, call 215.409.6600 or visit www.constitutioncenter.org. 

About Crossing the Finish Line:

Crossing the Finish Line is a non-profit organization that assists young adult cancer patients and their caregiver. Inspired by the late Peter R. Bossow, Jr., Crossing the Finish Line offers the young adult cancer patient and the family a retreat from the unyielding physical and emotional demands of treatment — a hopeful respite during the throes of a courageous battle.  Our patients are our "sailors" and the retreat becomes their "excursion."  Eligible candidates, along with their caregiver, will receive a one-week, all expense paid excursion to select locations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, South Carolina, Florida and California.  For more information, call 484.674.4778 or visit www.crossingthefinishline.org. 

About Rhoads Garden:

Celebrating over 60 years in the "Green Plant" industry, the Rhoads Garden has grown into one of the finest horticultural centers in the Delaware Valley. For more information, call 215-699-2207, visit them at 570 DeKalb Pike in North Wales, Pennsylvania, or visit the website at www.rhoadsgarden.com.

About the National Constitution Center:

The National Constitution Center, located at 525 Arch St. on Philadelphia’s Independence Mall, is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing public understanding of the U.S. Constitution and its relevance to Americans’ daily lives.  Opened on July 4, 2003, the museum dramatically tells the story of the Constitution from Revolutionary times to the present through more than 100 interactive, multimedia exhibits, film, photographs, text, sculpture and artifacts, and features a powerful, award-winning theatrical performance, “Freedom Rising”.  The Center also houses the Annenberg Center for Education and Outreach, which serves as the hub for national constitutional education and debates, and as a home for visiting scholars. Also, serving as a nonpartisan forum for constitutional debate, the Center presents – without endorsement – programs that contain diverse viewpoints on a broad range of issues.  For more information, call 215.409.6600 or visit www.constitutioncenter.org.