A few weeks ago, I wrote about my visit to the Mark Twain Boyhood home and Museum in Hannibal, Missouri. What I didn’t say was what I didn’t know then: that the facility is underfunded and is in need of serious renovation to bring it to standard. The management of the museum have for a while been raising money through very many ingenious means (one of which was promising to get the names of donors on the famous white-washed fence in front of the home. I did that, by the way. If you ever find yourself there, try to look for my name and the name of this blog on the white fence). Yet it seemed that it won’t get the job done as fast as needed.

Enter Pepsi.

Since the beginning of this year (or God knows since when far back), Pepsi has been giving money to great ideas worthy of monetary support. All they ask for is that the idea be good, and that people vote for it. They have been funding ideas every month to the tune of $1.3 million: (2 Grants at the $250,000 level; 10 Grants at the $50,000 level; 10 Grants at the $25,000 level; and 10 Grants at the $5,000 level.) The Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum is one of this month’s contestants for the $250,000 level which would be given only to two great ideas. Their standing as I write this post is #19. Voting ends on December 31st. That is 25 days away.

Now this is what I hope you’d do for me, as very loyal blog readers. Go to this page, and vote. It will take only two minutes for you to register and vote. And voting is free – of course. All I ask for is your time. And in return, I promise to drive back there at some point next year to write about what new things are taking place at the Mark Twain Museum. I also promise to visit downtown Hannibal rather than just the museum, and send beautiful KTravula postcards to some random blog readers, signed of course by the blogger. When you finish voting, please tell your friends to do the same. There’s nothing worse than getting so close to the mark and then falling off to the ground. I believe that the $250,000 will go a long way to save the museum (and perhaps reduce entrance tickets for future visitors too.)

Please vote as many times as you can from now till December 31st. Thank you very much.  Alright now, off you go, please. Thank you.

Mark Twain, born Samuel Clemens, is the author of many books including The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, all inspired by his life in the Hannibal countryside village by the Mississippi river.