Volunteer Connection, 10 March 2011

Volunteer Connection

March 10, 2011

Greetings, Friends!

Spring is almost upon us and there is a lot going on at the Museum as we prepare for our 2011 season.

Patti Montgomery promoted to Executive Director

The Board of Directors is proud to announce that Patti Montgomery has been named Executive Director of the Museum. The vote at the February Meeting passed with overwhelming support. It was felt that Patti has earned this position based on her performance since joining the museum. This will however, add to her responsibilities, already pressing and likely to become more so as the season progresses. If you are interested in volunteering at the museum, I'm sure she can find something for you to do. Please welcome Patti in her new position.

--Submitted by Pete Mathews

Distinguished Underwater Archeologist Kenneth J. Vrana to speak on “The Titanic Mapping Project and Le Griffon Initiative” for Lecture on March 13

(rescheduled from December 12)

The Michigan Maritime Museum is pleased to announce that the President of the Center for Maritime & Underwater Resource Management underwater archaeologist Kenneth J. Vrana will be the speaker for the Sunday, March 13^th lecture at 2 PM. Mr. Vrana’s presentation will provide background historical information, summaries, and updates on the current scientific investigation of RMS Titanic, and the archaeological assessment of a site in northern Lake Michigan believed by some to be LaSalle's Le Griffon, lost in 1679.

Kenneth J. Vrana is

• principal of Maritime Heritage Consulting,
• member of Tribal Marine Services LLC, and
• president of the Center for Maritime & Underwater Resource Management, a nonprofit scientific and educational organization originally established at Michigan State University in 1994
• co‐director and co‐principal investigator of the Titanic Mapping Project for Premier Exhibitions, Inc.
• Director of the Isle Royale Institute at Michigan Technological University (MTU), which is a collaborative program of MTU and the National Park Service to enhance research, education, and science‐based resource management at Isle Royale National Park and the surrounding waters of Lake Superior.

During a 30‐year career, Mr. Vrana has participated in numerous underwater archaeology and maritime heritage management projects as operational scuba diver, archaeological research diving technician, project coordinator, principal investigator, or consultant since 1979 on sites throughout the United States, and in the North Atlantic, Caribbean basin, and western Pacific. He was project coordinator for the first civilian expedition to Edmund Fitzgerald in 1989, and served as consulting underwater archaeologist for Titanic Expedition 2004, Carpathia Expedition 2007, and Titanic Expedition 2010.

Mr. Vrana will also be speaking at the Grand Rapids Public Museum on March 23.

See http://www.grmuseum.org/dayataglance/2011/3/23 for details.

Ship’s Company Update

Uprigging will take place over three weekends in April everybody is encouraged to come out.

• April 9-10 Installation of the Bowsprit (a first time event)
• April 16-17 First Regular Uprigging Weekend (install headrig and topmast)
• April 23-24 Second Regular Uprigging Weekend (install rest of toprig and mainsail)

Volunteers who are available during the week are welcome to come any Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday between 9:00am and 4:00pm to assist with preparations for the big weekend work parties.

--Submitted by Eric Standen

Drug tests: MCBA has told us that they are now back in compliance, and they have promised to forward to us an email from USCG confirming this. We expect to continue to use MCBA as our drug pool.

Upcoming Events at the Maritime Museum

Date:	Event:
Saturday, March 12, 1-4 PM	Basic Seamanship I
Sunday, March 13, 1-4 PM	Basic Seamanship I
Sunday, March 13, 2-4 PM	Lecture Series: Ken Vrana
March 18, 3 PM	MMM Board Meeting
March 19, 10 AM	Grants & Education Committees joint meeting at Julia’s
April 9-10, 16-17, 23-24	Uprigging weekends (see above)
April 19	First Aid/CPR class, time tba
April 15, 2011	Opening of New Exhibit: “Crusin’ Down The River”
April 16, 2011	Coast Guard Clean Up Day
April 17, 2011	Lecture Series 2:00-4:00 PM
April 29, 6:30-9:30 PM	Basic Seamanship I
April 30 – May 1	Basic Seamanship II & III

Thank you, Volunteers!

Michigan Maritime Museum was again represented at the Chicago Maritime Festival this year. Librarian Warren Fritz and his wife Marti set up a display table, provided by the Festival managers, showing a video of the museum and distributing literature on the museum and its programs as well as applications and information on the Classic Boat Festival. By all accounts the festival was well attended, the presentations worthwhile and the music, as always, enjoyable. Thanks Warren and Marti.

The Museum was represented again this year at the Grand Rapids Boat Show thanks to the generosity of ShowSpan, the shows producers. This year we had a booth inside the show hall itself, near the "Giant Lagoon" where the waterskiing demonstrations took place. Yes, they were water skiing inside De Vos Hall though no mermaids were sighted. The emphasis this year was on education at the museum, especially David Ludwig's boat building classes. We had on display a Davis Dinghy and the solo canoe built in these classes with literature on how visitors could build one of these craft themselves. This drew lots of interest. There was also a video of the museum and images and literature on other Museum programs and activities, the Classic Boat Festival, Friends Good Will and the launch project currently building. Thanks to Volunteers Marcia Flynn, Chuck Snow, Dick Dodsen for the help setting up and tearing down the show, working the show during it's 5 day run and also to Anita and Jim Upson for not only working the show, but for loaning us the DVD Player so we could show the video.

--Submitted by Pete Mathews

Remembering Rosie Refior

Rosie Refior has been a valuable member of the Ship’s Company since very early in our program. She has served in many capacities: deckhand, docent, and to everyone’s delight as Ship’s Cook. Her enormous heart was somehow squeezed into her petite frame. Last year Rosie encountered health problems, which required her to undergo transplant surgery. Her recovery was complicated by numerous medical situations, including the onset of hepatitis C. Late last month, in the words of her family, “God called Rosie home to put another star in the sky.” We will all miss Rosie, and we wish our shipmate, her husband Ron, and all of the members of the family our deepest sympathy, and thank them for having shared Rosie with us.

--Submitted by Al Kempf

Introducing your new Education & Volunteer Coordinator

Hello, my name is Mike Robertson. I started as a volunteer aboard Friends Good Will in 2007. Last year, I also joined the grants committee and was a full-time paid crewmember and docent for a few weeks at the end of the season. I will be replacing Mary Stephens temporarily until her permanent replacement takes over in May. Mary will be a tough act to follow, but I’ll do my best to keep things running smoothly until the sailing season starts. I’ll be at the office on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Give me a call or send me an email if you have any questions about volunteer assignments or educational programming.

Mike Robertson

Education & Volunteer Coordinator

Michigan Maritime Museum

260 Dyckman Avenue

South Haven, Michigan 49090

voice: 269.637.8078, ext. 224

fax: 269.637.1594

www.MichiganMaritimeMuseum.org