FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Fulton, Mo. – June 8, 2026: America’s National Churchill Museum (ANCM), a nonprofit organization that commemorates Winston Churchill’s life and times, today announced it has received a $20,000 grant from the U.S. Bank Foundation. The one-year grant will be used to support K-12 educational programming in Callaway and Boone counties.
“The most important work we do at America’s National Churchill Museum is providing access, opportunity and inspiration to our visitors, especially the next generation in our community,” said Robbie Pratte, Director of Operations at ANCM. “We are deeply grateful to the U.S. Bank Foundation for its collaboration in helping ensure that every K-12 student has the opportunity to experience the museum, engage with history, and discover the values of leadership, courage and citizenship.
ANCM aims to create programming that focuses on Churchill’s globally famous “Iron Curtain” speech delivered on Westminster College’s campus on March 5, 1946, as well as World War II and Cold War history. Information on St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury — the 17th-century Christopher Wren church moved stone by stone from London in the 1960s to memorialize Churchill’s famous visit — will feature prominently in the new programming.
“We build strong communities when people have opportunities to connect, create and be active,” said Kristen Polchinski, community affairs manager at U.S. Bank. “By supporting organizations like America’s National Churchill Museum, we’re helping make communities more vibrant and inclusive.”
U.S. Bank is committed to powering human potential and creating lasting change in communities. The bank does this through the Community Possible platform, including philanthropy and team member volunteerism.
For more information about ANCM and its programs, visit NationalChurchillMuseum.org.
ABOUT WESTMINSTER COLLEGE: Founded in 1851 and home of Winston Churchill’s “Iron Curtain” speech, Westminster College is ranked prestigiously by The Princeton Review as one of 151 “Best Colleges in the Midwest” for 2026 and is among a select group of full-participation institutions nationwide in the Civic Learning and Democracy Engagement Coalition, as recognized by the Higher Learning Commission. New graduates experience a more than 90% placement rate within six months of graduation, while Westminster alumni are in the top 16% nationwide for graduate earnings. The only National Liberal Arts college in Missouri, Westminster has long been recognized for its focus on educating and inspiring students to make an impact on the world around them. Find out more about Westminster College by visiting www.wcmo.edu.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Sarah Backer at 573-220-9038 or Sarah.Backer@WCMO.edu.
Sarah Rummel Backer is the Director of Media Relations and Senior Writer at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. A proud Westminster graduate, Sarah has more than 20 years of experience in marketing and strategic communications in the areas of higher education, medicine, agriculture, and the private business sector.
