FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE KENNETT UNDERGROUND RAILROAD CENTER RECEIVES MUSHROOM FESTIVAL GRANT

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April 16, 2023, Kennett Square, PA. The Kennett Underground Railroad Center (KURC) was
awarded $2000 by the Kennett Square Mushroom Festival to assist with the organization's
Underground Railroad Heritage tours the organization announced today. The grant comes from
proceeds from the 2022 Mushroom Festival.

While the Mushroom Festival is a weekend event, its impacts last all year long in Kennett Square
and surrounding communities. Each year, proceeds from the famous Kennett Square Mushroom
Festival are awarded to local community organizations and non-profit organizations. Over the
past 20 years, the Mushroom Festival has donated more than $1 million in funds to local
organizations for things like books, playground equipment, food, transportation, and healthcare
services, among other projects.

“We are delighted to receive this grant,” said Terence Maguire, President of KURC.  "The money
will help in defraying the greatly increased costs of these tours, which have been offered by
KURC Board members and volunteers for several decades. In most cases we need to hire buses
in order to conduct these 2-2 1/2 hour tours, and since 2019 the cost of the rentals has essentially
doubled. This grant will allow us to reduce the price for each passenger by about one-third and
make the experience more affordable"

The 2023 Mushroom Festival will be held September 9 and 10, on State Street. For information
and updates on the upcoming Festival, visit www.mushroomfestival.org.

The mission of the Kennett Underground Railroad Center (KURC) is to preserve and celebrate
the heritage and engage the public about the historic abolitionists, Underground Railroad agents,
and freedom seekers of this area and beyond.

This year we are celebrating our first quarter century of fulfilling this mission.