Volunteer Connection

 

 

Volunteer Connection

July 31, 2010

 

 

Greetings, Friends!

 

News from the Museum Library

Thank goodness for air conditioning and climate control!  Unlike our first years in the Lightkeeper’s Dwelling, this summer has been very comfortable for staff, volunteers and interns, despite record high temperatures in South Haven.  More importantly, the library books, periodicals, photographs, documents and artifacts are now protected from heat and humidity damage.

 

Interns Kristian Daniel and Katie Bleil have made tremendous improvements at the Library.  Kristian placed MANY cases of Museum paper records in covered bins and moved them in storage beyond daily work areas.  We can finally see the floor and walls again upstairs.  Kristian learned to catalogue and was able to shelve many new and donated books.  Katie worked with Kristian on these projects and assisted the Registrar with a collection of 400 postcards.  She has created an inventory of used books available for sale, in hopes that we can raise funds for the Museum.  Many thanks to both of these future museum leaders. ~ Judy Schlaack, Registrar

 

NEEDED

The Collections Committee in is need of a volunteer with access to a cargo van or light, enclosed, truck to transport a ship model from Muskegon to South Haven. The museum is being given a ship model that is nearly 10 feet long, too long to fit in any vehicles available. Please contact Pete Mathews at 269-628-2339 or Patti Montgomery at the Museum if you have, or know of a vehicle we might use. It would be for one day only.

 

HELP!

If you've seen our campus lately, you may have noticed we have a number of boats sitting in various places covered with tarps. These are part of our small craft collection. The storage location we had for these artifacts was needed by the owner so they're home once again. The Museum is in need of an indoor storage facility until we can construct a display shed for them on our campus. The Collections Committee would prefer they not sit outside, even covered, for the winter. Anyone knowing of suitable storage that the owner is willing to donate please contact Pete Mathews at 269-628-2339, or Patti Montgomery at the museum.  

Thanks - Pete Mathews, Volunteer, Michigan Maritime Museum

 

 

The Michigan Maritime Museum to Host Tall Ship Rendezvous

The tall ships are headed to South Haven for a rendezvous Thursday, August 19 through Sunday, August 22.  On returning from a festival in Green Bay, the Museum’s tall ship Friends Good Will will lead three visiting ships into the harbor for four days of maritime celebration and excitement. Historical reenactments and presentations have been scheduled for the Michigan Maritime Museum campus and dockside tours, lead by ships crews in appropriate period dress, will be conducted on each of the visiting ships.  On Friday, Thirty Steps to Forward, an acoustic folk, brother and sister duo comprised of Seth and Gretchen Powers from South Haven, Michigan, will perform at 3 and 6:30.  On Saturday, maritime musician Lee Murdock will be entertaining on the Museum campus.  On Sunday Great Lakes balladeer Carl Behrend takes the stage. Performances are scheduled for 1, 3 and 5 PM each day.

 

Visiting ships include:

 

La Revenante is a Canadian flagged Pinky Schooner, with fine lines and representative of so many smaller “boats” found primarily on the east coast, although not unknown on the Great Lakes.  Such craft were merchant ships in times of peace and armed raiders and troop transports during all too frequent times of war.  The name La Revenante is French, for “the ghost.”

 

Royaliste is from California and sports an unusual rig; a square topsail ketch.  Her Ship’s Company reenact periods of maritime history from pirates, to the French and Indian War and War of 1812.  She is well armed and will likely be seen and heard “smoking” near the pier head, quite possibly engaged in duels with Friends Good Will.  Royaliste will add some good fun, a lighter perspective and still educate visitors about other aspects of our maritime past.

 

Madeline is a re-creation, built in Traverse City, MI, of an 1850’s style lumber schooner.  She is owned and operated by volunteers and members of the Maritime Heritage Alliance.  At one point, her namesake actually served as the first school in Grand Traverse County.

 

Friend’s Good Will, the flagship of the Michigan Maritime Museum, is a replica of a square top mast sloop of the same name that sailed and fought in the War of 1812.  The only ship of the quartet licensed to take passengers onto Lake Michigan, the FGW will be available for some dockside tours, but will also be conducting special historical sails on Lake Michigan.  Separate reservations can be made on the Museum’s web site michiganmaritimemuseum.org or by calling 1-800-747-3810.

 

Admission to the rendezvous is $15 for adults and $8 for children 12 and under.  All fees include dockside tours on the visiting ships, planned presentations and entrance to all of the Museum’s exhibits and attractions.  Family memberships to the museum are available for $50 and include all of the Rendezvous attractions plus the benefits of membership including a 15% discount on all merchandise at the Museum Store.

 

Last year the Museum hosted two ships, Nina and Pinta (Santa Clara) and the weekend was a tremendous success.  This year’s event is expected to attract even larger crowds and offer even more educational opportunities.

 

 

Calling ALL Volunteers!!!!

We are looking for 145 volunteers to assist in producing the Tall Ship Rendezvous at the Maritime Museum. The event will be open to the public from 10 AM- 5 PM August 19-22, 2010. Below please find a list of the volunteer opportunities for the event:

 

Volunteers Needed:

Grounds security—36 people needed/3 per shift

Cash table—36 people needed/2 per shift on Thursday & Sunday & 4 per shift on Friday & Saturday

FGW Dockside interpreters—28 people/ 7 per shift from 11:15-12:45 only

Ship’s Store Front Desk—36 people/3 per shift

Cook-out help—9 people/4 cooks, 3 set-up, & 2 clean-up on Sunday afternoon only

 

There will be three shifts each day for most volunteer positions:

 

Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
9:30-12:30	9:30-12:30	9:30-12:30	9:30-12:30
12:30-3:30	12:30-3:30	12:30-3:30	12:30-3:30
3:30-5:30	3:30-5:30	3:30-5:30	3:30-5:30

 

Volunteers will have the opportunity to dine with the visiting vessels’ Ship’s Companies at a Cook-out hosted by Jim & Lynn Spurr on Sunday, August 22.

 

Please email mstephens@michiganmaritimemuseum.org by August 6, to sign-up for a volunteer position and be a part of this exciting tall ship festival!

 

 

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY…

"Now Hear This" all you wooden boat enthusiasts out there. The Documentation Committee, a subcommittee of the Museum's Collection Committee at Michigan Maritime Museum is attempting to sponsor a class on Surveying Wooden Boats to be held at the museum in September. This class would be put on by the WoodenBoat School of Brooklin, ME, and the Museum. It is a week long class taught by a professional Marine Surveyor with years of experience in surveying wooden boats. The class will be divided roughly 50/50 between class room study (in the Padnos) and field work actually surveying several wooden boats, starting with our own Evelyn S. and Jim Schnieder's Frigate Bird. The cost for the class will be between $650.00 and $700.00 and will result in a certificate from WoodenBoat School at it's completion. Student limit is 12 students maximum, we currently have room for up to six Students in this class. If you're interested please contact Pete Mathews at 269-628-2339, or leave a message at the Museum with your contact information. ~ submitted by Pete Mathews

 

 

Radio Interview on WKZO

The Michigan Maritime Museum is grateful to Ship’s Company crewmember Jim Scholz for the excellent interview he did on behalf of the Maritime Museum last month on The Lori Moore Show. Click the link to listen http://www.wkzo.com/podcasts/lori-moore-show/lk-michigan-shipwreck/.

 

 

Request from the City Manager…

The City intends to continue to be proactive in addressing the quality of swimming water in Lake Michigan. Monitoring the E. coli levels of the Black River, Lake

Michigan, and the various storm sewer outlets is an important part of the process. I am writing to seek out volunteers who may be interested in assisting with weekly water sampling. Weekly water sampling will provide a benefit for City staff and ultimately, City residents. Results can be used to determine if action should be taken, and if so, how best to take action. The City will pay for any costs associated with water sampling. Once a volunteer group is established, a meeting will be scheduled. Details will be worked out at that time. If you are interested in volunteering to conduct water samplings, please contact me at my information below. Thank you in advance for your consideration of this matter. ~ Brian Dissette, City Manager, City of South Haven, Email: bdissette@south-haven.com, Phone: (269) 637-0750

 

Chippy the Chipmunk Helps Our Children Keep the Harbor Safe…

Watch the new YouTube video produced by Thingstado.com that we are using to market the Pirate Chaser sails. Click the link http://www.michiganmaritimemuseum.org/planyourvisit/

 

 

Tiller’s International Interns at the Maritime Museum

On August 2 & 3, the Maritime Museum will be hosting several interns from Tiller’s International of Kalamazoo in a hands-on seminar to familiarize them with block and tackle, seizing, splicing, whipping, and making grommets.   This will help in their international mission, which is “to preserve, study, and exchange low-capital technologies that increase the sustainability and productivity of people in rural communities…”

 

Any Ship’s Company members that are available to assist with teaching the interns seizing, splicing, whipping, and making grommets between 10 AM-5 PM are encouraged to contact Jim Schneider at boatmanschneider@gmail.com.

 

 

Upcoming Activities at the Museum:  

Date:                                                                                        Event:

 

August 2 & 3, 10 AM-5 PM                                                                   Tiller’s International Interns at the Museum

August 8-18                                                                             FGW to Green Bay ASTA event

Wednesday, August 18, 7:30 PM                                            Parade of Sail

Thurs.-Sun., August 19-22, 10 AM-5 PM                               Tall Ship Rendezvous

August 23-31                                                                           FGW to Chicago ASTA event

Friday, August 27, 3 PM                                                         Board of Directors Meeting at the Light Keeper’s Dwelling

Tuesday, August 31, 6-8 PM                                                   Volunteer Potluck Dinner—Save the Date!

 

For the good of the cause,

 

Mary Stephens

Education & Volunteer Coordinator

Michigan Maritime Museum

260 Dyckman Avenue

South Haven, Michigan 49090

voice: 269.637.8078, xt. 224

fax: 269.637.1594

www.MichiganMaritimeMuseum.org