Michigan Maritime Museum

For immediate Release

For more information phone 269 637 8078.

 

 

 

 

Michigan Maritime Museum announces new winter hours and greater reliance on volunteers.

 

After one of the busiest summers in its 34-year history, the Michigan Maritime Museum has announced new hours and staffing adjustments for the coming winter season.  As of October 1 the museum will be open to the public from 10 AM – 5 PM Friday, Saturday and Sunday and by appointment.  The Maryalyce Canonie Great Lakes Research Library located at the Keepers House will be open Thursdays from 10 AM – 5 PM and by appointment.

 

All of the facilities on the museum campus will be open including the main gallery, the VanOort Coast Guard boat house, the US Lifesaving Service crew quarters, the fish tug Evelyn S. and the Padnos boat building shed.  Dockside tours of the tall ship Friends Good Will will be available until the weather prohibits boarding. Throughout the winter, members of the museum, volunteers, school groups and the interested public will be welcome to learn about great lakes maritime history, practice traditional skills, attend lectures and presentations, and assist in helping to maintain the tall ship.

 

Other activity scheduled for later this year includes the lifting of the Friends Good Will from the water for a Coast Guard safety inspection and a new coat of paint for the hull.

This marks the first time the tall ship has been pulled from the water since it arrived in South Haven four years ago.  In addition, the museum’s annual fall fund drive will kick off October 15.

 

“We had a great summer sailing season with our tall ship Friends Good Will making a record number of day trips and charters.  But, these are tough times for small non-profit institutions like ours and in order to continue to meet our educational mission and goals, we had take some cost cutting measures,” said Board of Trustees President Jim Woodruff.  Included in those measures was a reduction of staff, including the elimination, at least temporarily of the Executive Director position.  The museum will be run during the winter season by a triumvirate including the Ships Captain, and the head of the Padnos Boat Building Shed, positions that are already filled.  The board is actively looking to fill the third position of Volunteer Coordinator/Administration.  The three will report directly to Trustee Chairman Woodruff.

 

Frank James, an active volunteer at the museum commented, “The Volunteer Coordinator position will be most important for the museum’s future success.  I can see that to keep the winter educational programs alive and to set the course for the 2009 summer season volunteers will be playing a bigger role than they have in the past.”

 

The Michigan Maritime Museum is a not for profit organization that relies on individual donations, membership dues and program fees for its livelihood.  For further information on any of the museum programs please phone 269-637-8078.

Museum Members,

 

As many of you know the past few days have been especially hectic here at the museum. 

We’re certainly not the only nonprofit institution having to deal with decreased funding, but that really doesn’t make things any easier.

 

The Executive Director position has been eliminated, and we have adjusted our hours for the winter season. Hopefully at some point in the future we will be able to afford to reinstate that position.  We plan on going back to a full 7 day schedule come next summer.  We are also working on increasing our public school visits for next season and improving our winter lecture series.

 

Public sails are over for the season but we will be honoring our existing charters through October 15.  Even though the museum will be closed to the public on Monday through Thursday, either David Ludwig, Mary Stephens or I will be here.  We will also be open by appointment on those days as will the Maryalyce Great Lakes Research Museum at the Keepers House.

 

I’ve included the a press release that went out explaining the situation…and as it says, we will be looking to the membership to help us secure the future.

 

Thanks,

Captain Jim

 Downrigging Schedule for 2008:

      The ship will sail a charter on SAturday October 4th as her last scheduled sailing of the 2008 season.   Minor preparation work may be scheduled for that day.   Actual Downrigging will commence with a work party starting at 10 AM on Sunday October 5th, and will progress throughout that day.    Work not completed on the 5th will be resumed at 9 AM Saturday morning October 11th.   If you are available and willing to help at either of these your sessions your participation will be appreciated.    We will have a lot to do for individuals of all skill levels and ratings, so please stop by and see some true seamanship in action.   If there are any questions please contact Eric Standen or the Captain.    

Ed Pratt

On Friday September 12, 2008, Ed Pratt, Chief Ship's Keeper aboard Friends Good Will, died. He will be sorely missed by all of us at the Maritime Museum.

 

Visitation will be Tuesday, September 16 from 9:00 – 10:00 A.M. at the Filbrandt Family Funeral Home, 1076 South Bailey Avenue, South Haven. 

 

Memorial services will begin Tuesday, September 16 at 10:00 A.M. at the Filbrandt Family Funeral Home with Rev. Robert Linstrom officiating. Burial will take place at Lakeview Cemetery, 145 North Bailey Avenue, South Haven.

 

Following internment at the cemetery, lunch will be served to all at the Michigan Maritime Museum, 260 Dyckman Avenue.

 

Please note that tours scheduled for Tuesday, September 16 have been cancelled as the Museum will be closed.

 

The Ships Company meeting scheduled for Sunday, September 14^th will be held in the Padnos Boat Shed beginning at 5 PM.   This meeting will be conducted differently from those in the past.   Several members of theMichigan Maritime Museum, including some who are also members of the Ship’s Company, attended the special meeting of the Board of Trustees to address the financial status of the Museum recently.   It became apparent that there is room to improve communication, both from the membership to the Board, and from the Board to the membership.     As a step in this process the Ship’s Company meeting will be open to all Docents, Museum Members, Volunteers and Interested persons.  The members of the Board of Trustees have been invited to attend.   The agenda will be forward looking, and will start with a discussion of where we are today, what are the plans for the future and what are the options.    It will be to put to rest false rumors such as the ship is being sold, or the Museum is being closed.    The Board is facing difficult decisions and must look at all options and discuss many eventualities, and they are committed to the continued success of the Museum.   But they also realize that we have serious problems and that there must be changes in several areas.   It is not the purpose of this meeting to arrive at any decisions on what those changes should be, that is a responsibility of the Board of Trustees, but it is intended that the effects, consequences, and costs of the changes may be discussed so that those individuals who are interested in being informed of the present status can have access to that information.

 

   Please plan to attend and participate in this important meeting.  

 

 

This Summer

My experience volunteering on the Friends Good Will this summer was absolutely incredible. I learned so much about sailing, teamwork, and even learned about myself and what I’m capable of doing. I realized that when you are truly passionate about something, you can accomplish things that you would have found completely impossible before. I learned so much, and by the end I was incredibly proud of what I had accomplished.

The trip from Port Washington was an absolute blast. I loved always being with my crewmates, and having fun developing relationships with them. I loved the environment I was in, with so many people who have a passion for sailing in common. I loved the town; it was fun to explore somewhere new. I also enjoyed giving tours and talking with tourists. They all seemed incredibly interested in the ship, and it was good to be able to answer questions and know that my knowledge of the ship was strong. Seeing all other different kinds of tallships was absolutely grand. Ships as small as the Red Witch to ones as large as the Niagara, each was spectacular in it‘s own way. I loved sailing across the lake in such perfect weather. The feeling of being in the middle of the lake with no land in sight is indescribably amazing. The sailing was grand, and always is my favorite part of volunteering on the Friends Good Will.

I’ve met some of the most amazing people this summer. I had the pleasure of getting to know some incredibly wonderful souls. I’m lucky to have met and befriended these people and I hope our paths will cross again and again for they‘ve each captured a bit of my heart. I also loved hearing of others’ experiences on tallships all over the world, and it makes me curious as to where I’m headed.

Because of the experience I had this summer, and because of the people I‘ve met, and things I‘ve learned, I think this is something I’ll be doing for the rest of my life. This has been my best summer yet, and I do believe summers to come on this wonderful ship will just increase in excitement and adventure.

Sarah Kominek