Thanks To All. Tourism Cares for Mystic Seaport event on Friday, May 6, went off without a hitch thanks to so many staff and friends of the Museum.

Transcription

1 May 13, 2011 Thanks To All Tourism Cares for Mystic Seaport event on Friday, May 6, went off without a hitch thanks to so many staff and friends of the Museum. My appreciation goes to Steve White and Susan Funk for grasping the vision of Tourism Cares and having the faith to take the leap and allowing this to happen. And it is largely due to Chris Freeman, and those who have gone before him, and the continued success of the Pilots Program that we felt able to consider taking on such an endeavor. Months literally of planning went into preparing for this one-day, once-in-a-lifetime event and the members of the Operation Committee (Susan Funk, Dana Hewson, Quentin

2 Snediker, Ken Wilson, Jonathan Shay, Heidi McDonough, Chris White, Shannon McKenzie, Rhoda Hopkins Root and Deb House) stepped up repeatedly to be sure that we had enough projects (both good weather and rain) and all that goes along with preparing for a work group 350 strong. Zone leaders and team leaders worked with and helped direct the volunteers so eager to make a contribution; and of course, the very important Food Crew kept everyone fed and watered throughout the day. A great deal of credit needs to go to our own Interpretation staff, who showed their dedication by working very hard in order to do some badly needed cleaning and organizing of exhibits that weren t part of the project list. They also provided tours to the happenstance visitors who stopped to see us on a very rare "closed to the public day." Special thanks must go to Heidi McDonough whose meticulous attention to detail, knowledge of the facility and the tools, materials and people needed for each project you should see the spreadsheets! were significant in Tourism Cares noting that this was the best organized Tourism Cares for America event in its history. This event could not have happened or succeeded without the help of our Community Partners. Area hotels provided nearly 250 room nights for the volunteers (approx value $35,000); Dattco Bus provided transportation to and from the airport as well as shuttle service from the hotels to Thursday evening s and Friday s activities; Mystic Aquarium hosted Thursday evening s welcome reception; and Foxwoods Resort Casino, Mystic Country & GMVB, and the CT Science Center all stepped up to co-sponsors the meals provided throughout the day. Additional support came from a small cadre of Rhoda Hopkins Root s volunteers, as well. And our newest corporate partner, Sherwin Williams donated all the paint used throughout the day. Finally, nearly 350 volunteers from all over the country, Canada and one from Peru, donated the equivalent of a year s worth of labor. Among the many projects (nearly 60) tackled on Friday, volunteers worked on 30 paint projects including the Joseph Conrad and over half mile of fencing, utilizing 135 gallons of paint, distributed hundreds (thousands?) of pounds of oyster shells, and spread 50 cubic yards of mulch. Thank you, thank you, thank you. - Sarah Duty Officers Duty Officer: Jay Star Habibyar; radio Duty Officer: Susan Filupeit; radio Security: John Garabedian; x5310 Security: John Garabedian; x5310 Watch Captain: Liz Cole; radio Watch Captain: Barry Keenan; radio Shipyard: Doug Butler; x5341 Shipyard: Doug Butler; x5341

3 All Staff Meeting All paid staff are requested to attend the spring All Staff Meeting on Tuesday, May 24 at 8 a.m. in the River Room. Meeting topics will include an update from the May Board of Trustees Meeting. Photo of the Week Walter Ansel removing the billethead from the Morgan. Photo by Kane Borden Welcome PILOTS! Saturday May 14th some 100 PILOT volunteers will be on campus for their traditional spring weekend. Working alongside our talented and dedicated staff, the PILOTS will be laboring in almost every corner of the Museum. One aspect of the program that most PILOTS value above all else is the opportunity to work and learn side by side with staff members. In addition to the actual work that is completed by the PILOTS, they learn more about what it takes to sustain our beloved Museum so they in turn can be better

4 advocates on our behalf in their host communities. If you happen to bump into PILOTS on the grounds this coming weekend, don t hesitate to say hello and thank you. Live From the Hold of the Charles W. Morgan! This past Wednesday, NBC Connecticut sent meteorologist Ryan Hanrahan to get an update on the progress of the Morgan restoration for their morning news program starting at 5 a.m. He interviewed shipyard director Quentin Snediker in a live broadcast from the hold. While there aren t many broadcast firsts left to achieve these days, we believe this was probably the first ever live broadcast from the hold of an 1840 s wooden whaleship. (Should this be not true, corrections are welcome at news@mysticseaport.org). It was a fun morning and we appreciated having the NBC crew down for the shoot. Nathaniel Philbrick The Last Stand The River Room, Latitude 41 5:30 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 18 Nat Philbrick s New York Times best-seller, The Last Stand, is now out in paperback, and we are honored that the acclaimed author and Pulitzer Prize finalist is starting his book signing tour at Mystic Seaport on May 18. As he did in Mayflower and In the Heart of the Sea, for which he won the National Book Award, Nathaniel Philbrick has written a modern and authoritative version of a defining event in America s past. Throughout, Philbrick evokes the history, geography, and haunting beauty of the Great Plains with the same

5 grace and sense of drama with which he illustrated the ocean and New England coastline, and which readers have come to love. His exhaustive research has given the story of the Battle of the Little Bighorn new depth and nuance. He met with the great grandson of Sitting Bull and gained access to a soldier s never-before-published writings begun just months after the battle. He s interviewed officers at West Point about the realities of an on-the-ground war and ridden a horse across the battlefield with a Crow tribal member. Philbrick focuses on the weeks surrounding the Battle of the Little Bighorn, and on its two principals: George Armstrong Custer, a legendary Civil War general known for his boundless some would say reckless courage, who was both loved and reviled by his men, and Sitting Bull, whose charisma and political savvy had earned him the position of leader of the multi-tribe gathering of Plains Indians. A wine and cheese reception and cash bar precede the author s talk, and one raffle winner takes home a free copy of The Last Stand. The member price of $15 is extended to all Staff and Volunteers. Call x 5233 for reservations. Captain Rich Phillips Encounter with Somali Pirates The River Room, Latitude 41 7:30 9:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 22 In April 2009, the world watched as Somali pirates stormed aboard the Maersk Alabama and took Captain Richard Phillips hostage off the East African Coast. Phillips will be here to describe the hijacking, his attempts to outwit the pirates and his eventual rescue by Navy SEAL snipers. While pirates continue to plague ships off their coastline, sometimes with tragic results or handsome fines, here is the personal accounting of one captain s decision to sacrifice his safety for that of his vessel and the 19-man crew. Captain Phillips refused to give up hope, even when the crazy one with the Charlie Manson eyes aimed his pistol at his head and dry-fired it. Copies of Phillips book, A Captain s Duty, will be available for purchase and signing by the author, and one raffle winner takes home a free copy of the book. The member price of $12 is extended to all staff and volunteers; $10 for youth. Call x5233 for reservations. From the Online Community Learning Project As many of you know, the Online Learning Community Project is well underway and our 56 Co-Creation Team Meetings began just a few weeks ago. As each group meets for the first time, they receive the nametag below. This identifies them as team members and it gives them access to the Museum for the duration of the co-creation portion of the

6 project (April December 2011.) While on the grounds, you might encounter Co-Creation Teams working together, or you might just see individuals exploring the museum on their own or with their families. Please join the Education staff in making these project participants feel welcome. The better they get to know Mystic Seaport, the better our Online Learning Community will be! Participants have been instructed to wear their Online Learning Community nametags at all times while at the museum. If you have any questions, please contact Krystal Kornegay Rose: or at x5025. Volunteer of the Week DOLORES WALLICK walked into the Office of Volunteer Services and announced her intention to volunteer at Mystic Seaport. Little did we know that this energetic, smiling and enthusiastic person would become a multi-faceted volunteer who quickly accumulated over 300 hours by this spring. Dolores brings extensive volunteer experience to the Museum. Trained in holistic medicine and aviation maintenance, she was associated with the New England Air Museum for seven years, volunteered at Strawberry Bank and Shaker Village in New

7 Hampshire, and was assistant to the President of the Maine College of Art for fundraising. She lends her skills to Julie Doering s Morgan Restoration Team, as well as a variety of other areas, including the HOD Squad, Visitor Services, the Rowing Exhibit and the Parade Brigade. Karen Bigger says that her trademark is her big smile. Julie Doering says she is a great worker, meticulous, precise and possessed of tremendous spirit. Mystic Seaport extends sincere appreciation to this valuable volunteer. outstanding young person with the Museum. From the Office of Volunteer Services CALL FOR HOURS! The office of Volunteer Services has requested, asked, pleaded, demanded and now is threatening collection of hours for the annual report. HOURS, HOURS, HOURS; all volunteers must turn in their hours from May 1, 2010 through April 30, 2011 by Tuesday, May 18, else there be dire consequences! There are still pirates left from Pirates Days, and they may be unleashed to collect missing hours. YARRRR! Simply stated, the fiscal year ended April 30th, and the Volunteer Office must have all hours turned in now for proper credit. Thank you for complying. The William Noyes Volunteer of the Year Award Now is the time for department heads and staff to start thinking about their volunteers who gives so much time and effort helping with daily chores and projects. It is not too soon to collect letters and signatures attesting to the outstanding qualities of the nominees. Please help the cause, and submit your nominations for the William C. Noyes Volunteer of the Year Award This is the time to truly express appreciation to the Corps of Volunteers. CALL FOR NOMINATIONS The William C. Noyes Volunteer of the Year Award was established in 1998 through the generosity of Bill s wife, Bettye. The award is presented each year to honor a Museum volunteer who best personifies Bill Noyes example of applying the Golden Rule in all things and the true spirit of a Mystic Seaport volunteer. Past recipients have constantly reflected a happy and cheerful dedication to the many tasks they have undertaken in various areas of the Museum. These hard-working volunteers have been an inspiration to all. They have exhibited good will and friendly character, as well as being a giving and caring person. This year s nominations should

8 reflect the generous attitude and devotion that manifests itself in the spirit of Bill Noyes. Once again, all Museum staff members and volunteers are invited to submit names to be considered for the award. Your words on behalf of the candidate should be biographical and direct. This description of the candidate should involve the department, the merits of the individual, their current jobs, and the jobs they have done in the past. Included should be comments from the nominees colleagues. In providing information, include the following: (1) Who (2) Where (3) What (4) When (5) Why Address your nominations to the Office of Volunteer Services, Attention: Rhoda Hopkins, ( ) or Deadline for nominations is Friday, May 27, As usual, the award will be presented at the annual Celebration of Volunteers, Wednesday, July 13 from 4:30-6:30 at the Boat Shed. Please complete this form and return to the Volunteer Office by Friday, May 27, Remember your voice counts! Noyes Award Nomination Entry Form: Nominee: Name of person Nominating: Department: What does the Nominee do? Reasons for your nomination: please use an extra sheet of paper if necessary

9 Mystic Seaport Museum s Plant Sale Wed. and Thurs., May 19th and 20th At the Facilities Management Greenhouse 8:00 am 2:00 pm B.Y.O.B. - Bring Your Own Boxes No early birds, please! Classifieds For Sale: One pair ESS amt1c stereo speakers (Heil Air Motion transformer) floor standing, dark walnut base, dark brown grill cloth (removable top). Almost new condition (still in original cartons) hardly used. No scratches or tears. Perfect playing order and excellent original condition. Asking $500. Local pickup. Call or leave message at same number. Good Tenants Looking for Nice Rental: Young, groovy and stable couple with wonder dog looking for nice house to rent in the Mystic-Stonington area. Single family house with two bedrooms, hardwood floors, yard and annual lease preferred. We love to work in the yard. Dog is female adult sheltie, 25 pounds she enjoys sleeping, spying and herding the coffee table. She is house trained and does not chew anything except food. Tenants are also house trained and love to vacuum. If you have a place or know of a place that might be of interest, please contact Krystal Rose or krystal.kornegay@mysticseaport.org Extra Staff Guest Passes Wanted: Please send any extra valid guest passes to Michele Fritzen, Education Department, Office Manager, Haynes House. I really appreciate your generosity, because my daughter is getting married June 11, and we have an overwhelming number of out of town guests. I would like to give them an opportunity to visit the Seaport and enjoy what we have to offer the community and the world.