By Cindy Schroeder
The Cincinnati Enquirer

COVINGTON - The pleasure of your absence is requested.

In a twist on the usual fund-raiser, the Behringer-Crawford Museum recently invited its supporters to stay home and support a challenge grant for the museum's capital campaign by writing a check.

HOW TO DONATE

To donate to the Behringer-Crawford Museum's capital campaign, checks can be made out to the BCM Capital Campaign and sent to the Behringer-Crawford Museum, P.O. Box 67, Covington, Ky. 41012. For information, call (859) 491-4003.

"Instead of buying tickets, dry-cleaning or buying a dress, renting a tux, paying a babysitter, paying for parking, buying a silent auction item that you wind up giving to Aunt Martha, eating another hotel dinner and facing the bitter cold winds of winter, we want you to stay home and throw yourself a `Stay At Home Tea Party,' " the mailing says.

The letter, sent to 2,200 members, program users and friends on the museum's mailing list, asks recipients to add up what they would have spent to attend a fund-raiser and write the museum a check instead.

The offer was prompted when the Luther Foundation of Cincinnati challenged the museum to raise $50,000, which the foundation will match.

The resulting $100,000 will help defray the costs of the museum's ongoing $2.7 million expansion, said Linda Robinson, development director of the Behringer-Crawford. So far, the museum has raised about $1.6 million for the project, which will double the museum's usable exhibit space, enabling the display of items now in storage.

The "stay at home challenge'' was the brainchild of Covington resident Jane Auge, who serves on the museum's board of directors and had seen the idea used elsewhere, said Laurie Risch, executive director of the Behringer-Crawford Museum.

"People get hit up so much for donations,'' Risch said.

"I know that if something stands out for me from opening the mail, I'm more likely to give it more attention.''

This Saturday, the museum that serves as a repository for Northern Kentucky's cultural and natural history will reopen after its annual 5‡-week shutdown.

The Behringer-Crawford Museum will kick off its 2003 season with programs focused on Native American stories and culture.

Admission to the museum is free this Saturday and Sunday as part of the Fine Arts Sampler Weekend.

E-mail cschroeder@enquirer.com