Mission

Becki Giusti was a young girl who loved to read.  Marguerite Henry’s books were among her favorites as they brought to life beautiful horses and fantastic places.  She especially loved the book “Misty of Chincoteague,” the story of a real pony gentled by two islanders, Paul and Maureen Beebe. One day, Becki’s mother Susan, a school librarian and teacher, saw an article in the paper that told of how the land where Misty of Chincoteague had lived was going to be sold to townhouse developers. Becki believed that, like herself, most kids would want to see the actual meadow where Misty had run and played, not a row of townhouses.  Encouraged by her parents, she began to write to senators and congressmen to see if anything could be done to save the property, but to no avail.  She finally wrote to Marguerite Henry.

Background

Marguerite Henry’s love of children, her love for animals, especially horses, and her passion for writing children’s literature is the inspiration for the Misty of Chincoteague Foundation. The Foundation’s mission is to promote in children a love for reading and an appreciation for fine art. The Foundation perpetuates the timeless legend of Misty by preserving and disseminating educational and research material and displaying the Misty of Chincoteague© artwork.

Becki as a little girl with Marguerite Henry

Marguerite was touched by the letter and gathered together Becki, her parents, Peter Stone, a creator of model horses, and a few other dedicated people.  Together, they formed the Misty of Chincoteague Foundation. With the help of avid fans of horses, literature and conservation (many of them kids) the Misty of Chincoteague Foundation was able to raise the money needed to purchase Misty’s homeland on Chincoteague Island. The mission of the Foundation is alive today to promote literacy, writing and conservation of places that allow the imagination to soar unfettered. The Misty of Chincoteague Foundation, founded in 1990, is a group of educators, professionals, business people, artists and children of all ages, worldwide and on the Island of Chincoteague.

Today, our board of Directors consists of:

President  |  Elizabeth Isham Cory

Secretary  |  Lynn Isenbarger

Treasurer  |  John J. Giusti

Director  |  Peter A. Stone

Director  |  Joanne (Jodi) Forman

Director  |  Rebecca E. Giusti

Director  |  Ann H. McCormick

Director  |  Elaine C. Stone