The Boston Cecilia is the second oldest, and oldest all-volunteer, chorus in Boston – founded in 1876 by B.J. Lang, a student of Franz Liszt. Long associated with the Boston Symphony, it performed at the dedications of both Symphony Hall (1900), and the Shed at Tanglewood (1938). Arthur Fiedler conducted from 1929-1945. They have premiered many works in Boston, including Dvorak’s Requiem, which Dvorak conducted. Since 1968 Donald Teeters has been Music Director; many distinguished volunteers have sung with them, including (for 30 years) the late scientist Stephen Jay Gould. So there is a sense of history here, which is relevant because they seek to raise $400,000 for their endowment (which began at $100,000 at the start of the three-year campaign). Endowments are permanent – intended, and legally bound, to be eternal. Very few institutions, therefore, are or should be endowed–only those for which there will always be need and value: universities, hospitals, art museums, and community pillars like the BSO. As fundraising, endowment campaigns are relatively inefficient, because they have to raise twenty times what is usually spent in any given year. As philanthropic opportunities, it takes far-sighted donor-investors to choose this over pressing short-term needs. The Boston Cecilia’s already long and distinguished history qualifies it for planned permanence. Wouldn’t you like to share its immortality?