Harrisburg, PA – On Monday evening, Governor Josh Shapiro and First Lady Lori Shapiro hosted a reception at the Governor’s Residence to support the ongoing efforts to rebuild and restore the historic home after the arson attack and attempted homicide in April. They were joined by all five living former governors and first ladies, as well as members of the Thornburg and Casey families, representing more than four decades of Governors and First Families who lived and spent time at the Residence.
“We are so proud to serve as Governor and First Lady of our great Commonwealth. In the wake of the arson at the Governor’s Residence, we’ve been uplifted by the support of former Governors, First Ladies, and First Families,” said Governor Josh Shapiro and First Lady Lori Shapiro. “We’re proud to take up the baton from those who came before us and carry it forward – and as we gathered last night, we pledged to support the Residence together for generations to come.”
Among those in attendance were:
- Former Governor Tom Wolf & First Lady Frances Wolf
- Former Governor Tom Corbett & First Lady Susan Corbett
- Former Governor Ed Rendell & First Lady Midge Rendell
- Former Governor Mark Schweiker & First Lady Kathy Schweiker
- Former Governor Tom Ridge & First Lady Michele Ridge
- Former U.S. Senator Bob Casey & Terese Casey for the Casey family
- David Thornburgh & John Thornburgh for the Thornburgh family
- Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis & Second Lady Blayre Holmes Davis
"As Chief of Staff to Governor Ridge and Governor Schweiker, I have many memories of late nights, meetings, and events at the Governor's Residence," said Mark Campbell, former Chief of Staff to Governors Ridge and Schweiker. "All of us feel privileged to be members of the small group of people who have had the honor of serving Pennsylvania from the executive branch, and we wanted to be there to support the Shapiro family and staff after the heartbreaking attack on this historic home. I was so proud to see six different governors stand together, committed to rebuilding and restoring the Residence to ensure it remains a Pennsylvania treasure."
"For over 55 years, the Governor's Residence has been an important part of our Commonwealth's history – it's where Governors and their cabinet have gathered to make important decisions, visiting dignitaries have dined, and members of the public have gotten to see priceless historical artifacts and works of art," said Andrew Lowery, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. "To have all five former Governors and First Ladies – as well as members of the Casey and Thornburgh families – return to the Residence last night shows how important this building is to our Commonwealth. The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission is proud to tell Pennsylvania's story through the Governor's Residence and looks forward to sharing our Commonwealth's history with visitors for generations to come."
“As the former Executive Director of the Bipartisan Management Committee, I've worked alongside legislators and governors of both parties to make progress in Pennsylvania,” said Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Chair Susan Cohen, who previously led the PA House of Representative’s Bipartisan Management Committee and worked for the PA Historical and Museum Commission. “It was a beautiful display of our shared commitment to our Commonwealth and the governors’ support of each other and the Governor’s Residence. Pennsylvanians should feel proud of how our First Families have stepped up in the wake of this tragic attack.”
The reception benefited the Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund – a dedicated fund within Team Pennsylvania – to support efforts to restore the building after the arson attack. The Department of General Services (DGS) is working around the clock to restore the State Dining Room and State Reception Area in the Residence after they were significantly damaged in the attack. Governor and First Lady Shapiro hope to reopen the damaged areas of the Residence to the public this summer.
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