The Michigan Maritime Museum Weblog: Volunteer Connection 7.27.12

Volunteer Connection

July 27, 2012

2012 War on the Great Lakes Lecture Series Kick Off!

2012 Fish Boil Huge Success

Thank you to all our amazing volunteers and donors who helped us pull off yet another successful Fish Boil! We had almost 400 guests again this year, and the whole event went smoothly. We cannot say enough thanks to the three people who coordinated the whole event: Charlotte Geisler, Jim Upson, and the cook himself: Mark Holbein. These three worked tirelessly to make this event as wonderful as it was. The donors include people and businesses from all over South Haven, who donated time, food, and fulfilled other needs. Thank you again to all our volunteers, and we hope you all had a great time!

Submitted by: The Staff

Volunteers Needed!

We have several events coming up for the Maritime Museum, and we will be needing lots of volunteers! Some things we are requesting volunteers for include:

South Haven Farmers Market: Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8am – 2pm

Sidewalk sales: August 3-5^th from 9:30 until 5:30. (We will split this into smaller shifts)

Blueberry Festival Parade!: We need people to march with our big sign, and hand out

information.

If you are free to help out with any of these things or even just a portion, please speak with Katie Bleil about scheduling. Thank you!

Submitted by: the Staff

Mackinac Trip 2012 Pictures

As many of you may know, our trip to Escanaba, Fayette, and Mackinac Island was a success! A grand time was had by all, and we brought the ship safely home with some fantastic sailing in between. To make sure we can all keep track of the amazing memories made on this trip, we are requesting that all crew who took photos send theirs in, so that they can be compiled into a cd. If you took pictures, you can drop them in the office with Katie Bleil in several different formats:

CD, thumb drive, email, or external hard drive.

Please do not drop off hard copies, we do not have the capacity to scan them at a high enough quality. Please consider sharing your photos with everyone, there are some great shots out there that we have seen already!

Submitted by: the Staff

Michigan Heritage Awards

The Ship’s Company was recently awarded a Michigan Heritage Award for marlinspike seamanship. Eric Standen will be attending the awards ceremony (which is part of the Great Lakes Folk Festival on Sunday, August 12, 2012 from 3:30 – 5pm. Any member of ship’s company who would also like to attend is invited. Paper invitations and information can be found in the office with Katie Bleil. Eric will be driving a van which can carry several other people, so people who need a ride can be accommodated. Please contact Katie Bleil for more information. Congratulations again Ship’s Company!

The other awardees include:

Johnnie Bassett- Blues Guitar and Vocal- Oak Park

Paulette Brockington - Swing Dance and Lindy Hop - Highland Park

The Ship's Company, Friends Good Will - Marlinspike seamanship

Rene Meave and Guillermo Martinez - Tejano Music

Our Friend’s Galley Ready for Purchase!

As members of the Michigan Maritime Museum you have a great opportunity to support the museum and eat well too!! Our cookbook "From the Friends Galley" has over 300 recipes from members and friends (some never before revealed). The three ring binder recipe book allows for future additions and makes a great gift. The easel allows the book to stand up while in use. All of the personal pages and dividers contain pictures of the museum campus as well as the Friends Goodwill and Lindy Lou!! Get one today, cost is $15.00 per cookbook. If shipping and handling is required, add $5.00.

PREMIERE OF WILD SWAN THEATER’S SHIPWRECKED! In South Haven, MI: August 8, 2012

South Haven- Wild Swan Theater, Ann Arbor’s award-winning professional theater, premieres a new and original play Shipwrecked! for elementary and middle school aged youth and their families on August 8, 2012 at the Michigan Maritime Museum in South Haven, Michigan.

Shipwrecked! is an exciting sailing story, set in 1893, that follows the travails of twelve year old Aaron Buchanan when his family's schooner is caught in a fierce storm while he is at the helm. Young as he is, Aaron has sailed with his parents for years ferrying cargo from their home port of Detroit to ports through the Great Lakes. As the family is returning from Sault St. Marie on Lake Huron in November with a huge load of Christmas trees, they are caught in a ferocious gale that sweeps through Thunder Bay—infamously known as Shipwreck Alley. With assistance from the lighthouse keepers on Thunder Bay Island, a crew of surfmen from the lifesaving station brave 40 knot winds and sixteen foot waves to effect a daring rescue.

This historically-based, original drama has been written by long time Wild Swan playwright Jeff Duncan. Director Hilary Cohen is thrilled with the collaboration with our museum and education partners. “This has been a wonderful opportunity for Wild Swan to learn about the history of shipwrecks on the Great Lakes from an incredible group of experts. They are helping make the show really authentic. We think this will be a great way for upper elementary and middle school students to become excited about learning about our lakes.” The cast includes Wild Swan favorites Sandy Ryder, Michelle Trame Lanzi, Jeremy Salvatori and ASL interpreter Jamie Fidler and newcomer to the Wild Swan stage Brett Radke. Award-winning musician David Mosher has composed original music as well as a soundscape of authentic sounds--timbers creaking, waves crashing, winds howling.

Located in the heart of The Great Lakes, Michigan possesses a rich maritime heritage and borders the largest supply of fresh water on the planet. “Given its importance” according to Dorothy Ebersole, Project Director, “ it is essential that youth and families discover and explore the role of the Great Lakes in shaping our history and our future.” For this play, Wild Swan has partnered with organizations with broad environmental education and history expertise and important collections and exhibits on Michigan’s maritime history: the Dossin Great Lakes Museum, Michigan Historical Museum, Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Michigan Geographic Alliance, and Michigan Council for History Education. The play and associated educational materials are made possible in part with a grant from the Michigan Humanities Council, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Wild Swan Theater is dedicated to producing professional theater of the highest artistic quality for young people and families that is accessible, diverse and inclusive, through affordable ticket prices and innovative outreach programs. For more information or tickets to Shipwrecked!, contact us at 269-637-8078 or visit our website at www.michiganmaritimemuseum.org

One Last Reminder…

For more updates on what is happening on a daily basis at the Michigan Maritime Museum, please “Like” us on facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Michigan-Maritime-Museum-Authentic/259190420827593

And follow us on Twitter! @MMaritimeMuseum

https://twitter.com/#!/MMaritimeMuseum

Calendar of Events

July 27-29 Solo Canoe Building Class

July 29 Summer Lecture Series begins!

August 17 Board of Directors Meeting

August 22-24 Family Boat Building Class

August 25 Outboard Motor Swap Meet

August 30 Volunteer Potluck