Become a Supporter Today
You are invited to join us in our mission of preservation, education, and recreation! Your financial partnership helps restore and preserve a rare, important piece of early Indiana history and provides hands-on learning opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds. By supporting the Wabash & Erie Canal with your gift, you make it possible for local and global visitors to enjoy the natural beauty of Indiana’s last remaining accessible, watered section of the Wabash & Erie Canal. Along this unique waterway, stewarded by our organization since the 1970’s, you can enjoy a hike along the miles of trails networking the historical features marked along the towpath. Indoors, our museum “walks you through time” from Indiana’s early settlement through the end of the Canal Era.
Online: click the “Online Supporter Donations” button above to be redirected to our online giving platform. You can select your level of giving for the calendar year, and you can even set up recurring donations automatically!
Mail-in: Click the “Mail-In Supporter Forms” button to access a printable PDF you can fill out and mail to us.
*Note: annual support gifts operate on a calendar year basis and are effective from January 1 through December 31.
Individual/Family Levels of Support
See the levels of giving below and the perks they offer. Pick the level that suits you best!
Hoggee
$25-149
This term is pronounced like “hoagie,” and it is the term used for the canal workers who led mule teams along the towpath and tended to the animals’ needs.
*Supporters at this level receive:
- A letter confirming your status as a valued supporter
- A free bundle of postcards (available for pickup at the Interpretive Center front desk)
STEERSMAN
$150-299
This crew member would operate the tiller, steering the boat down the canal and following the captain’s orders.
*Supporters at this level receive:
- Hoggee perks
- Free museum entry for you and any three guests per visit during the calendar year
LockMaster
$300-467
Also called a “lock-tender,” this individual would need to be at the ready, living adjacent to a lock site and operating the lock for passing boats whenever needed.
*Supporters at this level receive:
- Steersman perks
- Free Reed Case House entry for you and any three guests per visit during the calendar year
- One free Canal supporter T-shirt
- One night free stay in the Lockmaster’s Airbnb cabin, pending availability
468 Mile Club
$468+
This giving level is named for the 468 miles that the Wabash & Erie Canal covered from Toledo to Evansville, and it is reserved for those who wish to commit annually to a sustaining donation of $468 or greater.
*Supporters at this level receive:
- Lockmaster perks
- One free Canal supporter hat
- Four free canal boat tickets (pending seat availability, not redeemable during the Canal Days Festival)
- VIP all-access tour of Canal Park with executive director Mike Tetrault
Corporate Perks
Becoming a sponsor of the Wabash & Erie Canal means more customers will find you! Most importantly, visitors will know that your business supports preservation, education, and recreation. Check out the sponsoring levels below or take a look at this form.
Bronze
$500
- Recognition on signage in the Interpretive Center lobby
- Recognition on our website’s homepage
- Recognition at our Annual Meeting in October
- Recognition in our monthly email newsletter
- One free weekday rental of the Meeting Room during the year of your sponsorship
Silver
$1,500
- Recognition on signage in the Interpretive Center lobby
- Recognition on our website’s homepage
- Recognition at our Annual Meeting in October
- Recognition in our monthly email newsletter
- One free weekday rental of the Large Hall during the year of your sponsorship
Gold
$2,500
- Recognition on signage in the Interpretive Center lobby with logo
- Recognition on our website’s homepage
- Recognition at our Annual Meeting in October
- Recognition in our monthly email newsletter
- A free advertisement on Canal social media channels at the time of your choosing
- One free weekday rental of the Full Hall during the year of your sponsorship
FESTIVAL SPONSOR
$1,000
- Your company logo and name on all promotional materials for Canal Days (July) and Christmas at the Canal (December).
- Social media tagging and recognition on festival posts.
- Your company logo and name on day-of-festival materials, park maps, PA announcements, etc.
CORPORATE SUPPORTER
$100
- Recognition on signage in the Interpretive Center lobby
- Recognition at our Annual Meeting in October
- Recognition in our monthly email newsletter