Support the AFL
The American Friends of Lafayette is an all volunteer organization. Our Board of Governors, our Executive Director and our many volunteer Committee Chairs and members donate their time and skills to make this small but mighty group of Lafayette fanatics support our mission to Educate, Celebrate and Commemorate the life of Lafayette.
Typically our operating costs are low. But in 2024-2025 we undertook a massive project - The Bicentennial of the Grand Tour as the Guest of the Nation 1824-1825. Beginning in August of 2024, we hosted over 350 events that followed Lafayette's Grand Tour as closely as possible. The local volunteer hosts did a great job of engaging local societies to host a myriad of events - many free and open to the public.
We are now preparing for events in 2027-2031 to commemorate Lafayette's first visits to America. We will engage many members and past Bicentennial Committee volunteers to bring their community together again and recreate Lafayette as he began support of Liberty as a 19-year old Major General through the exciting win at Yorktown!
Many friends and members are asking how we can honor our dearly departed member and interpreter, Michael Halbert.
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The Michael Halbert Reenactor Fund |
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The American Friends of Lafayette has received unsolicited donations from members in memory of our dear friend, Lafayette and Rochambeau interpreter Michael Halbert. These generous donations caught us off-guard but gave us an idea. Why not start an official fund to memorialize this wonderful man? Interpretating Lafayette using professional actors has always been an effective educational tool for the AFL. Our faith in this tool is proven by our financial commitment. The AFL has always funded Lafayette reenactors from its own coffers. During our Bicentennial commemorations, the AFL provided Lafayette interpreters for every event, paying for their travel and their honorariums. This was a substantial financial commitment, which strained the AFL’s resources, but solidified our commitment to this important educational tool. We will continue to finance in-person interpretations of Lafayette at AFL events including our upcoming Semiquincentennial events. Michael’s wardrobe was quite extensive, and his outfits were correct down to the smallest detail. It is quite costly for interpreters to obtain authentic uniforms, boots, hats, and wigs, especially all at once, so we would also like to help our interpreters get the authentic items of clothing that they need, which we hadn’t been able to do before. After contacting Michael’s wife, Marie-Louise, about this idea, she replied, “If anyone suggests flowers to you, please direct them to the AFL fund for Lafayette reenactors…. The children and I thought this was a wonderful idea and that Michael would be very pleased.” Consequently, the “Michael Halbert Reenactor Fund” was born. You can donate two ways, and you can include personal condolences to the Halbert family with your donation. 1. Make a check out to the American Friends of Lafayette. Please put “Michael Halbert Fund” in the memo section of the check. With your check, you may include a note to the Halbert family which we promise to pass along to them. The check and note can be mailed to: The American Friends of Lafayette, PO Box 84114, Gaithersburg, MD 20883 2. Donate online here (below) and a condolence note can be provided in the comments section. We will forward all notes to the Halbert family. The AFL is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, making your donation tax deductible. If you would like to send a personal note to the family without making a donation, please send it to the AFL at the PO Box address above. The Michael Halbert Reenactor Fund will honor Michael Halbert’s legacy and will help the AFL fulfill our educational mission by continuing the use of Lafayette reenactors at events around the country. Thank you and Vive Michael Halbert!! |
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