Dear Friend,

For the past year it has been our pleasure to greet many of you during your visit to the America On Wheels museum of over-the-road transportation. One of our favorite thrills is seeing and hearing the reactions of visitors as they realize the breadth and scope of our unique collection of bicycles, automobiles, trucks and other vehicles that celebrate the motor vehicle heritage of the United States.

The elaborate galleries of America On Wheels feature the vehicles that put our nation, literally, on the road to international leadership in automotive transportation. Exhibits range from the latest in personal transportation vehicles, such as scooters and Segways, to the grand Mack Trucks that help feed and supply a growing country.

Since our opening in April 2008, more than 35,000 visitors have toured America On Wheels, attended our great events and festivals and learned about the history of automotive transportation in the United States. The popularity of such great exhibits such as "Muscle Cars," "Legends of Speed" and our current exhibit, "The Bulgari Collection - Automobiles of Excellence," have brought regional and national attention to our institution.

We have been recognized by national media such as The Washington Post and locally by The Morning Call, the Express-Times and WFMZ Channel 69. We have been honored to host such luminaries as racing legend Mario Andretti and grateful to be recognized by nationally recognized automobile enthusiasts such as former "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno.

We have forged new, strong relationships with other cultural institutions and events in and around the Lehigh Valley and hosted a variety of clubs, events, social receptions -- and even weddings. We are proud to play a part in the economic redevelopment of the City of Allentown and its wonderful riverfront and we look forward to continued success as a year-round attraction for fans of all ages.

However, funding a museum is a monumental undertaking. The funds we have raised are committed to paying off our construction costs. The money raised through our Annual Appeal and Membership Campaign will be utilized for exhibits and educational programs. The lighting costs alone for these exhibits are significant as we create various individualized environments to enhance the visitors' experience. Money is also needed for the technology that will be used for taking the visitors on a journey through the history of transportation, from its beginnings to the future, and for the continuous growth in our outreach educational programs.

In short, we need your help. Please, become a member or contribute to our Annual Appeal today. Membership, along with your continued financial support, is a critical component of any non-profit institution. It provides a stable income base that helps keeps the doors open, it demonstrates a broad and diverse base of support in the community and it allows us to tap a pool of expertise that improves the programs and exhibits we provide to the community.

America On Wheels, a 50l(c)3 non-profit organization, is proud to showcase the nation's transportation systems from its roots, including carriages, bicycles, motorcycles, automobiles and trucks, to the latest in transportation technologies. Planting a seed of knowledge and instilling an enthusiasm for our automotive heritage is a focal point in our on-going mission to educate the public about over-the-road transportation.

We hope to enhance the museum experience for all visitors through educational programs that will highlight our past and thrill them with visions of future technologies for moving people and products.

Please feel free to call Executive Director Linda Merkel or Fundraising and Development Manager Lisa DeVuono at 610-432-4200 to learn more about how you can support our Annual Appeal and Membership Campaigns. America On Wheels is on the road to becoming one of the most popular attractions in the Lehigh Valley, eastern Pennsylvania and the tri-state region. Please, come along for the ride with us.

Treasure the day,
Linda Merkel, Executive Director
Jack Curcio, President, AOW Board of Directors

"The center of what we are...
is an educational institution."