Looking for a way to help fund the restoration of the historic Gadsby’s Tavern ice well? Instead of writing a check, through the end of the month it will be as simple as clicking a mouse thanks to the creative thinking of Gadsby’s Tavern Museum Director Gretchen Bulova.

 “I knew that the apothecary [Stabler-Leadbeater] had some vintage items, including ones from Pepsi,” Bulova said. “So I began looking online at corporate giving to see if there were any grants available through some of those companies.”

Bulova discovered the Pepsi Refresh Project, a competition to win a $250,000 restoration grant, and hurried to meet the entry deadline of January 13.

“I knew they would only accept the first 1,000 applicants,” Bulova said, “so I was sure to be online as soon as the submission process opened.”

The restoration of the well, located at the corner of Cameron and Royal streets, was selected as a finalist in the competition in which the winners will be determined via online voting from the public.

“The top two vote-getters in the Arts and Culture category will each get a $250,000 grant,” Bulova said. “So we want everyone to go online every day between now and the end of the month and vote for the Gadsby’s Tavern project.” 

At press time, the Gadsby’s Tavern ice well project, budgeted at $460,000, was in an impressive 27th place in the voting.

“We’ve already raised $100,000 toward our goal and this additional grant would make such a difference to us,” Bulova said. “I’m doing everything I can to get the word out on the voting I am not going down without a fight!”

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To cast your vote for Alexandria entry into the contest, go to http://www.refresheverything.com/GadsbysIceWellRestoration. Sign up once and you can vote daily through February 28. If you have a second email account, you can sign up twice and double your vote.