October 7, 2010

Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center Recognizes Mystic Seaport and Rhoda Hopkins Root

At the 25th Annual Meeting of the Pawcatuck Center, the Museum was recognized with a

“Good Neighbor Award” as was Rhoda Hopkins Root for her role in organizing and promoting the annual food drive at the carol sing.

The certificate reads as follows:

“Given in grateful recognition of making the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center’s Free

Emergency Food Pantry the recipient of your canned good collection “free admission” to the

Annual Mystic Seaport Carol Sing. The cost of food continues to climb. Our neighbors are in

need of our support in order to feed their families. Mystic Seaport’s actions have

contributed to local hunger awareness as well as to its solution—feeing our neighbors in need.”

Congratulations to Rhoda and all the staff and volunteers who work so hard to make the Carol Sing an annual success and an important contribution to our local community.

~ Susan

Tugs are coming to Chowderfest! October 9-11

Featured at Chowderfest, the tug boat Pegasus will

be docked along the waterfront and open to museum

visitors. Tugs Growler (former USCG tug, now

belongs to the US Merchant Marine Academy), John

Paul (a Wronowski tug), and 3 little tugs (about 14 ft.

long) including Sea Horse, Toot Toot, and Atlantic

Voyager will also be in attendance. But only

Pegasus will be open to boarding.

The newly restored, 103-year-old tugboat Pegasus, a

maritime icon listed in the National Register of

Historic Places, will be docked along the Museum’s

waterfront Saturday through Monday with the tug’s

wheelhouse, engine room and deck open to visitors each morning and afternoon. Built in

Baltimore, MD, for the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey, Pegasus had an illustrious

career in New York harbor and saw service in both world wars. In the 1990s, Pegasus began

her second career as an educational platform and now visits waterfront communities to help

the public understand the role harbors play as rich natural habitats and contributors to our daily economy.

Chowderfest’s menu, prepared by Coastal Gourmet, will feature seven varieties of

chowder: New England, Manhattan, Rhode Island, lobster, seafood, blue crab apple and

clam and corn. Other items, such as stuffed clams, hamburgers and hot dogs will also be

available, as well as seasonal desserts, beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages. Menu items are not included in Museum admission.

Additionally, visitors can further explore the world of tugboats in the Museum’s newest

exhibit, TUGS!, listen to live music, watch planetarium programs detailing autumn’s night

sky, take a closer look at fall foliage aboard the steamboat Sabino and learn 19th-century

chowder cooking techniques in the Buckingham-Hall house. Children are invited to make a

“clammy” art project in the Children’s Museum, build a wooden toy boat keepsake and create a tug masterpiece at the Art Spot.

Support for Chowderfest is provided by Shipyard Brewing Company and Coastal Gourmet,

the Museum’s official food service provider.

Duty Officers

Saturday, October 9 Sunday, October 10 Monday, October 11

Duty Officer: Mark Dulin;

Radio

Duty Officer: Elysa

Engelman; Radio

Duty Officer: Susan

Filupeit; Radio

Security: John Garabedian;

ext.5310

Security: John Garabedian;

ext.5310

Security: Jim Conlin;

ext.5310

Watch Captain: Liz Cole; Watch Captain: Barbara Watch Captain: Liz Cole;

Radio Jarnagin; Radio Radio

Shipyard: Matt Zapp; ext.

5341

Shipyard: Matt Zapp; ext.

5341

Shipyard: Matt Zapp; ext.

5341

Photo of the Week

Starboard side of the Charles W. Morgan below decks are DONE! Photo by Dennis Murphy.

A Note from Mike O’Farrell

As I finish up last-minute things before leaving Mystic Seaport tomorrow, I wanted to take a

minute and thank you all for the support you’ve given me during my 8+ years at the

Museum. My job was more than telling the Mystic Seaport story – it was telling your story.

And I was privileged to do so. Working with the media is a challenge, yet there wasn’t one

time during my career when someone told me “No.” Whether we had days to plan something

or if I just showed up unannounced with a reporter or camera crew, every staff person that I

encountered understood what I was doing and allowed me the access I needed to do it.

From ghost stories to Clydesdales to hurricane wood and more, there were some great

stories to tell. Yet I couldn’t do any of it without you and your willingness to help. I leave

Mystic Seaport only as a staff person. I will become a member and will be on the grounds

with my family from time to time. In the meantime, thank you again for working so willingly

with me through the years. If I have learned one thing during my time, it’s the same

message I have tried to share with anyone outside of these ‘walls’ – while our collection of objects is a pretty amazing thing, the true strength of Mystic Seaport is its people.

~ Mike O’Farrell

As a reminder, there’s an open house today from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. in Thomas

Greenman to wish Mike O’Farrell well on his new journey. Feel free to stop by and

wish him well.

News from Education

The Education Department is happy to announce that Barbara Jarnagin has been

promoted to Supervisor of School and Family Programs. Barb will continue to be

responsible for school tours, summer day camp, homeschool, birthday parties, and other

family programs. She will be helping to hire, train, supervise, and evaluate staff for these

programs. She will also be helping to edit, update, and create new curriculum and/or tours;

as well as helping to work with schools to develop new programming. Barbara’s talents and

considerable experience working in the Education Department over the years no doubt will

mean continued success for her in this new role. Congratulations Barb!

Also, the new 2010-2011 Education Brochure is available to view and/or download

at: http://www.mysticseaport.org/educators. This brochure provides a

comprehensive description of the programs offered by the Education

Department. Check it out!

Flu Shot Clinic

A free flu shot clinic will be held in the Finance conference room for Mystic Seaport staff and

volunteers. Staff from the Occupational Health Center of L&M Hospital will administer the

shots which contain both the seasonal and H1N1 vaccines.

Thursday October 28

Time: 8:00AM – 10:00AM

OR

Wednesday November 17.

Time:10:00AM – 12:00PM

Location: Finance Conference Room (HR office)

Please complete the Flu Shot Request form below and return it to Human

Resources before October 25th.

Please sign me up for a free flu shot on the following date:

Thursday, October 28 ___________

Wednesday, November 17 ___________

_____________________________ ____________________________

Name Department

REMINDER: Tug Party this Friday!

Join the Tug Pool Party (sorry, no swimming allowed)!

Kick-off your holiday weekend with a party! Join staff, volunteers, and experts who put

together the Tugs! exhibit and the RC tug pool this Friday, Oct. 8 for a casual, BYOB get

together.

WHEN: Friday, Oct. 8 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. (rain date Friday, Oct. 15)

WHERE: The Wimpfheimer Terrace (outside Schaefer) and around the RC Tug Pool

WHY: To celebrate the end of the summer, the completion of a big project, the many people

who contributed to Tugs-related activities -- and to have fun driving the remote-control tugs!

WHAT TO BRING: Yourself, your spouse/significant other, your kids, a snack or dish to share and BYOB

WE’LL PROVIDE: Non-alcoholic drinks, ice, paper goods, and some food to get the party started.

All the RC tugs, tankers, and barges will be up and running in the pool, so come try your

hand at the wheel.

RSVP by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 7 to: Elysa.engelman@mysticseaport.org

Your Summer 2010 Volunteer Service

AHOY, Planetarian!

I am writing to thank you for your service in the Planetarium this past summer. I hope it

was as helpful to you as it was for us. We hope you learned a bit about preparing yourself

for the workplace, following instructions, asking clarifying questions, relating to others,

learning about the job on-the-job, etc. These skills, along with the content learning you do at school, will provide you with beneficial experiences for your future work environment/s.

This past summer has held some valuable lessons for me as well. One thing I learned is: in

order for a Planetarian to learn his duties, he must practice them often. Volunteering once a

week was insufficient to provide you satisfactory practice time. I will change that for the

future; each selected Student Volunteer will work at least 2 days each week. That means we

will have fewer volunteer slots available going forward.

Because of our limited staffing, we can only supervise a single Student Volunteer each day.

Since there have been so many who are interested in working at the Treworgy Planetarium,

future selections will be made after we interview each candidate. If you are interested in returning, plan to apply next spring.

Last but not least, we want to wish you success as you proceed toward your high school graduation in a year or two or three. Best wishes from the entire staff!

Clear Skies, Max

R. M. Maxwell

Nautical Nightmares Dress Rehearsal October 14

There's a chill in the air and Nautical Nightmares is right around the corner. This year's

script, "The Mark of Four", was written by Penny Havard, Seaport costumer, and features a

cursed ring, a gang of cutthroats, a pirate ghost, and a curious plot twist. Seaport staff and

volunteers are cordially invited to attend Dress Rehearsal on Thursday, October 14 at no

cost. Tours leave the VRC at 15 minute intervals, starting at 6:15 PM. There will be seven

tours only, so pre-registration is highly encouraged. The registration sheet will be

posted on the hall bulletin board in Brustolon from 9 AM on Friday, October 7

through 5 PM on Thursday, October 14. You may bring one guest if space allows, and

please plan to arrive a few minutes before your tour.

By Land and By Sea Antique Vehicle Show

The By Land and By Sea Antique Vehicle Show team wishes to thank the weatherman first

and foremost for a glorious show day on September 25th. Equally important, our nearly

seventy vehicle show staff and volunteers deserve a big “Thank you” for making the show an unqualified success.

In addition to the beautiful day, a very fine selection of early motoring equipment was on

exhibit. Our oldest car was a 1903 Franklin with a very exuberant owner who let no one

pass without hearing full details on what makes the old motor run. (Actually he hasn’t got it

running yet. But the Seaport shipyard staff that were there could surely have made it run, if

he would have let them.) Plenty of the Seaport’s visitors got their free rides, and the

3:00pm Grand Parade finale was nothing short of delightful. If you missed it, be sure to be

there next year and join in the fun.

Best Regards,

Len / Kit / Brian / Barry

Book Club October 14, 5 p.m.

Scorpions, lizards, snakes, gophers, centipedes and moles wormed their way out of the walls

and ceilings of Lily Casey Smith’s dugout birthplace and childhood home. She survived

floods, droughts and tornados, broke horses, taught in a one-room schoolhouse and raised

cattle. Be part of the discussion of Half Broke Horses, Jeanette Walls’ story of her

grandmother’s life, when Book club gathers with beverages and snacks in Dickerman, at

5pm Thursday, October 14th.

Thanks,

Phyllis Sailer

Pumpkin Carvers Needed! Friday, October 29

Howell Classroom, 10:00-until done!

Come join the fun of carving pumpkins for Membership’s Treat or Treat program on

Halloween! This year we need even more pumpkins as we will be decorating the path from

the North Entrance to Membership and into the Village. Pumpkins and newspaper are

supplied. Bring your own special patterns and carving utensils to Howell Classroom. Enjoy

pizza at 12 noon while carving your special designs. Please call Rhoda Hopkins at x5378 to

let us know if you want to dig into pumpkin goop so we can order sufficient pizza and drink!

Five Questions With....Jeff Crewe

Tucked behind the Collections Research Center (CRC) are the

offices and work rooms where creative minds and talents

translate ideas on paper into Mystic Seaport exhibits. It is

here we meet Jeff Crewe, Exhibit Designer and

Supervisor of Exhibits at the Museum. If you think Jeff

and his fellow 'team members' can rest on their TUGS exhibit

laurels, think again. Drawings and architectural models in

Jeff's office are indicative that work on a future Museum exhibit is already well underway.

1. How long have you worked at Mystic Seaport?

JC: It will be 5 years this coming January. Don’t tell anyone –

but I have the best job at Mystic Seaport. I work with a fun

and talented group and every project includes activities that I

enjoy. My tasks are varied and include planning, research,

designing, drawing and construction. We all get involved

throughout installation. I’m both a desk top and shop guy so

I never get bored. My education and career has always

focused on three-dimensional and architectural design. My

first job was with an architectural firm in Cambridge, MA, that designed museum buildings,

as well as inside exhibits. My experience there sparked my interest in exhibit design.

2. What's the best part of your job?

JC: Getting feedback from visitors is the best part. I meet lots of fascinating people and

enjoy watching how both children and adults interact with exhibit components. The feedback

from visitors and Museum staff working in the exhibit is critical both for making

improvements and for designing successful future exhibits. In addition to simply observing

visitors, surveys and other quantifiable methods help measure the overall success of an

exhibit.

3. What's the most challenging aspect of your job?

JC: Although I believe that almost any topic can be made into a good and hopefully popular

exhibit, some are more appropriate for Mystic Seaport than others. I'm a member of the

MSM Exhibits Committee that ultimately decides on an exhibit topic, which is a challenge in

itself. Next is completing the exhibit as envisioned in the time available and within the

budget. Creating a new exhibit from scratch takes about one year from start to finish; late

nights and long days of work are the norm. In the Exhibits Department we hold ourselves to

high standards. Our goal is to create and produce quality and meaningful exhibits that

visitors will find interesting, engaging and comfortable. That's a priority as well as a huge challenge.

4. What's the funniest or most notable on-job experience you've had?

JC: Two things: When I moved my family to Connecticut, our rental home was a few doors

away from Don Treworgy's house. Late one very frigid January night there was a knock on

our door. There's Don, telescope in hand, saying, “Come out and take a look.” Despite

bundling up, my family and I were shivering, but there was Don in his red suspenders and

no coat! However, as cold as that night was, it pales in comparison to sleeping in an igloo

for an overnight camp-out with my son, nephew and dog. During a snowy visit to New York

State, I built an igloo to Inuit specifications. This was when I was researching snow

structures for the Frozen In exhibit. A skilled Inuit can construct an igloo in about two

hours. It took me two days, and even then I excluded one important component - furs on

the ceiling to catch the dripping snow. The kids and the dog headed for warmer, drier

accommodations pretty quickly. Oh well, we had a good laugh about the whole experience.

5. What's your favorite thing to do outside of work?

JC: I’m interested in wind and solar devices and I like to make mechanical gadgets. I'll paint

a landscape or play the guitar for relaxation. My wife, 14-year-old son (my exhibit test

guinea pig) and golden retriever, Mia, keep me pretty busy on the home front. By the way,

Mia was a winner in this year's Dog Days dog parade. She didn’t particularly like it, but she went as a tugboat.

Fall Beer Tasting at Mystic Seaport! The Shipyard

Saturday, October 16 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Fun is brewing in the Shipyard with our second annual Fall Beer

Tasting event. Sample a wide variety of local beers from local

breweries including Kona Brewery (Fire Rock Pale Ale and Pipeline

Porter), Redhook Brewery (Late Harvest Autumn Ale and Redhook

Longhammer IP), Widmer Brothers Brewery (Drifter Pale Ale and

Widmer Hefeweizen) and the Shipyard Brewing Company (Mystic

Seaport Pale Ale, Shipyard Export Ale and Shipyard

Pumpkinhead).

Our featured speaker is Boston tavern historian and tour guide Nathan R. Gavin who will

share little known facts about some of Boston’s oldest taverns and tavern keepers, detail

authentic tavern drink recipes and discus how taverns have evolved from 1630 to modern

day. Copies of Nathan’s book, Historic Taverns of Boston: 370 Years of Tavern History in

One Definitive Guide, will be available for sale and signing by the author. A light a la carte menu will also be available. All attendees receive a complimentary beer glass to take home.

Come join the fun. Register in advance online at www.mysticseaport.org/events, or call

860-572-5322 to assure yourself of a place. You can also buy tickets at the Visitor Reception Center that evening—while supplies last.

$25 Members, Staff and Volunteers

$30 Non-members

We are grateful to Shipyard Brewing Company for their sponsorship of the event.

Volunteer of the Week

Coming to the Corps of Volunteers in January of this

year, Randy Enciso found his calling in Facilities. He

is by profession a residential builder, and a graduate

of Eastern Michigan University. Randy brings his skills

to the Museum at a time when maintenance is a

priority. Randy has worked an average of thirty hours

per month and quickly accumulated sufficient hours to

qualify for a permanent badge with a pewter pin.

Volunteer John Harnly brought him by the Volunteer

Office last week so that Randy’s talented efforts could be gratefully acknowledged.

Mystic Seaport, and especially the Facilities

Department, extend many thanks and appreciation to

this diligent volunteer.

From the Office of Volunteer Services

Executive Vice President Susan Funk gave the keynote address at the Twenty Fifth Annual

Meeting of the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center. It was celebrated at Latitude 41 with a

dinner dedicated to the “Good Neighbors” who contributed to the “Neighbors Helping

Neighbors” program at the Center.

Vicki Anderson, Executive Director, expressed appreciation to those individuals, businesses

and organizations which gave such generous support. Vice President Dana Hewson accepted an award on behalf of Mystic Seaport for his support and participation of the PNC programs.

Coordinator of Volunteers, Rhoda Hopkins Root, was presented with the 2010 Good Neighbor

Award as a representative of the Corps of Volunteers at Mystic Seaport which was …”Given

in grateful recognition of the support given to the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center’s

Emergency Food Pantry by the Volunteers of Mystic Seaport. The annual Carol Sing brings

the community together to sing Christmas Carols and admission is a donation of canned

goods. This past year, the collection was extended to include Lantern Light Tours. Thank you

for rounding up volunteers to collect, sort, and pack the many boxes of canned goods. The

canned goods go from our pick up truck onto the shelves in the PNC’s emergence Food

Pantry, and then right back out to families in need living in our community.”

Attention All Spooks, Goblins, Ghouls, and Ghosts!!!

Please report for duty in the Volunteer Office for immediate duty to prepare for Trick or

Treat, which event comes upon us on Sunday, October 31st at Mystic Seaport. Your services

are demanded in order to fulfill the legend of Halloween events of which previous experience

is not required. All you have to be is a horror. Major Soderberg (Black Ethel) is in charge of

enlistment and basic training. All survivors will be fed her famous hot pumpkin soup after their tour in haunted exhibits.

Please call the Volunteer Office at 5378 to sign up for this frightening experience.

Candy Needed for Trick or Treat!

The ghosts and goblins are looking for candy donations again this year for the little ones

who come trick or treating on Halloween, Sunday, October 31. The event seems to attract

more each year, and we don’t want to run out, so if you can contribute some individually

wrapped candies to supplement our inventory, we would be most appreciative. Please bring

your candy to Membership by October 29 so we can organize the bags of treats for the

kids. Thank you in advance for your generosity.

The 2010-2011 Adventure Series Justin Shorb

Wingsuit Flying: The Most Dangerous Sport in the World The River Room, Latitude 41°

Thursday, October 21 1:30 and 7:30 p.m.

This year’s Adventure Series kicks off with a wild presentation on

wingsuit flying. Resembling something between a flying squirrel and

a snow angel, a wingsuit allows a skydiver to leap out of an aircraft

or off a precipice and soar through the air. Today’s speaker is the

visionary who founded Flock University in order to bring the best

training and standardization to this emerging sport. With over 4,000

wingsuit skydives under his belt, Justin Shorb has been intimately

involved in many of the advancements in the wingsuiting world, and

has organized teams that have set national and state wingsuiting

records. Justin will talk about this history of wingsuiting—including

the early daredevils who used materials such as whale bone and

corsets to fashion attempts at wings, often at the cost of their

lives. He'll also discuss how the suits are manufactured and flown, and will present truly breathtaking footage of his and his students' flights.

Staff and volunteers are welcome to either the afternoon program (starting at 1:30 p.m.) or

the evening program (starting at 7:30) at no charge by calling x5339 within three working

days prior to the date. Please check in at the reception desk in the River Room at Latitude

41° where the programs take place. One complimentary ticket per staff or volunteer. We hope to see you there!

The Membership Department

Did You Know...

We are actively promoting Mystic Seaport as a location for film/video/photo and commercial

productions on our website and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/mysticseaport.

We have uploaded Latitude 41° Restaurant's new menus for Happy Hour, Thanksgiving

Brunch, Sunday Brunch, and a Holiday Parties. Also, Latitude 41° will have live music in the

Tavern! Check out the menus and live music schedule at http://www.mysticseaport.org/latitude41.

Where on the Web...

Where on the web can you read the latest update on the Charles W. Morgan restoration? Go

to http://www.mysticseaport.org/morganupdates to find out. Updates include videos and

photos.

Figure It Out Challenge

Congratulations to Richard Ballantyne who correctly identified last week’s image as initials carved into a desk in the Boardman School.

Who can figure this one out?

Submit your answer to staffbulletin@mysticseaport.org by October 12. Whoever correctly

identifies the image will win a free pastry and cup of coffee at the Bake Shop. If more than

one correct response is submitted, the winner will be chosen through a random drawing.

Classifieds

Apartment for Rent: 42 Pearl Street in Mystic, walking distance to Mystic Seaport. Two

bedrooms, one and a half baths, living room, large kitchen & dining area, pantry, full cellar,

with off street parking

$950/month plus utilities. Available November 1st. Call 860-535-3905 after 7PM.

Stay Connected

Find us on Facebook; follow us on Twitter!

To submit an article to the Staff Bulletin, please send content to

staffbulletin@mysticseaport.org. If you have questions, call Jonathan Greene at ext. 4523. The deadline is Wednesday at 10 a.m.

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