Cited: CNN

When an unexpected earthquake shook the east coast in August of 2011, one of the many buildings and structures to get jostled beyond their capacity to hold on was the Washington Monument. Though not toppled or even close, god forbid, the national monument did sustain substantial damage and as such has been closed to visitors since. The repair of the iconic structure has gotten a recent boost with an extremely wealthy donor contributing over $7.5 million to help to get the monument back on its feet, so to say.

David Rubenstein, founder of the Carlyle Group, and now patron of the Washington Monument,  said that he wanted to give something back to the country, to repay a debt he feels for how good America has been to him. Rubenstein’s announcement came today in a ceremony at the foot of the monument, where he added that he doesn’t want to be buried with his wealth, which was he was able to amass because of the United States and all that it stand for. He also noted that he comes from a modest background and that his wealth is something he wants to share with others in a meaningful way.

With the contribution now from David Rubenstein, as well as funds approved by Congress late in 2011, Secretary of the Interior David Hayes says that his department now has all the necessary funding to being repairs on the structure. Hayes is hopeful that work on the Washington Monument can begin late this summer or early in the fall. The project is scheduled to take approximately one year.

My take:

It is nice to see people like Mr. Rubenstein coming to the forefront and assisting with these sort of projects. It is a tribute to him and his legacy and hopefully generations to come will be able to appreciate this national monument and to pay tribute to Mr. Rubenstein for his part in restoring it to its former grandeur.

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