Dear Alumni: I have never come to you asking for money, but I want to tell you about an exciting development in our longstanding connection with Turkey. There is a group of dedicated conservative intellectuals in Turkey who have been translating and publishing classic texts in the history of Western conservatism. They publish a regular journal of conservative thought and recently completed the first translation ever into Turkish of Burke’s Reflections. Now, the group is undertaking the first translation into Turkish of Russell Kirk’s The Conservative Mind.

I have undertaken responsibility to raise the funds necessary to secure the copyright permissions from Regnery. This is not an official program of Hillsdale College. Rather, it is a way for honors students, alumni, faculty, and friends to help turn an important idea into reality. At the same time, we can show our gratitude to Annette Kirk by working through the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal.

Those of you with experience in fundraising know that it is important for Mrs. Kirk to be able to show evidence of a broad base of donors. The amount you give matters less than the fact that you give. Even the smallest donation will have a great impact.

If you are able to help, you can make out a check to “The Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal” and send it to me at my home address: 65 South Howell Street, Hillsdale, MI, 49242.

Your donation is tax deductible.

Our goal is to raise $1,200 and I have personally guaranteed that amount. As you may imagine, this offer has stirred tremendous excitement among our intellectual colleagues in Turkey.

Any money raised above $1,200 will go to the work of the Kirk Center.

I plan to meet with the Turkish group’s leadership when I am in the country next month. We have met before, and I can assure you that these are men and women of integrity who are doing important work.

–Richard Gamble, Professor of History, Hillsdale College