“Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy… you vote in elections once a year, but when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in.”– An unknown hero
Happy spring to you all! After three seasons of many events and operations being on pause, we are happy to announce that we are about to kick… things… OFF!!
We take a moment to celebrate our year-round volunteers in the Chandlery and in the Boatshop who have been holding down the fort during this winding road of pandemic navigation. We would not be able to uphold those operations without you, and we are SO grateful!
The history of volunteerism is much better described as a legacy around these parts, ceremoniously tied to our beloved Wooden Boat Festival. It only takes a stroll or two around Point Hudson to see the names of founders of the Festival, but deeply tied to the fabric of its culture are the faces behind the magic—our volunteers. Hats off to the leadership among our volunteer community that has set an example for nearly 46 years! At the 2019 Wooden Boat Festival, it took over 600+ volunteers to pull off the vision and scale of the event. All we can say for 2022 is… we are ramping things up!
In-person, let’s welcome back the Race to Alaska, SEVENTY48, the re-opening of Marine Thrift in the boatyard, Ship Simulator Tours, new Summer Boat Tours, the opening of the NWMC campus front desk, NWMC’s Visitor Center, maintenance on a fleet of 44 boats, and of course… the 45th Annual Wooden Boat Festival.
We can hardly believe that we’ve come around to this moment, and if you are asking yourself what it all means and requires of you—we want to invite you to join us at NWMC’s Volunteer Kick-Off Event, Wednesday, April 20th, during National Volunteer Week.
It would be hard to describe this year’s overall theme in the volunteer department as anything other than a place for reconnection after everything we all have been through. So if you are new or coming back to us, we cannot wait to rebuild as a force for good, as the vibrant community we aim to reflect back to our region. We hope you’ll join us for the ride.
–Angela Hewitson, Public Engagement Manager