By Tracy Thompson, NWM Volunteer Coordinator
Thank you! Northwest Maritime is able to achieve its mission to engage and educate people of all generations in traditional and contemporary maritime life, in a spirit of adventure and discovery, thanks not only to a dedicated and diverse staff, but also through the outstanding support of a fantastic cadre of volunteers.
In 2024, over 580 volunteers donated over 9,500 hours of time, expertise, and talent to the organization. According to the Independent Sector, a nonprofit advocacy group, the time given to an organization by a volunteer is worth $33.94 per hour!
A few highlights:
- 575 unique volunteers assisted at the 2024 Wooden Boat Festival with a combined total of 6,292 volunteer hours!
- 17 volunteers stepped forward to put on the impactful She Tells Sea Tales event, which featured the intimate stories of six women involved in the maritime trades.
- 158 volunteers were instrumental in supporting the excitement of our adventure races for a combined total of 877 volunteer hours, and,
- 13 volunteers stepped forward to assist with our fundraising event Navigator Night Out for a total of 64 volunteer hours.
Staff appreciation for some key volunteers who made a difference in our work this year:
IT Manager Peter Santerre would like to recognize these stalwart volunteers:
“Joel Goldstien (lead), Jake Rubinowitz, Mark Westlund who have assisted all year long with the A/V team for such events as She Tells Sea Tales, Navigator Night Out, the Wooden Boat Festival, and the Teaching With Small Boats Alliance.”
CEO Jake Beattie notes:
- “I primarily work with our 24 volunteer board members who put in countless hours to help shape strategy, smooth politics, raise funds, keep us up with best practices, and keep us connected to greater conversations.
- Our board president, Lynn Terwoerds, works full time and puts in almost as much time leading the board as a volunteer. Organizing meetings, meeting with donors, setting strategy, and generally corralling our 20+ person board. It’s incredible the amount that she does. All of that, and I couldn’t ask for a more capable thought partner in leadership.”
Content & Social Media Specialist Rachel Bradley appreciates:
“Luc Schoonjans and Julie Sotomura who went above and beyond to help photograph and document this year’s Wooden Boat Festival. They put in an incredible amount of time and effort capturing beautiful photos and video of almost every aspect of the Festival. I was absolutely blown away by their enthusiasm in helping out, and they played a key role in making my social media efforts for my first Festival a huge success.”
Senior Philanthropy Advisor Len Maranan-Goldstein shares appreciation for some dedicated folks who assisted in fundraising:
“On October 30, a group of volunteers came to fold, stuff, seal, and stamp over 1,700 thank you cards. It was fun, and a few of them responded to the email thank you:
- Glad to help! – Patti Rowdabaugh
- It was smooth sailing with such an efficient, competent bunch as ourselves! :)) – Lesly Sheinbaum
- We were an extraordinary team!! Cheers to everyone – Allene Niehaus
Welcome Center Assistant Manager Patt Copeland-Grigs happily shared appreciation for the crew that volunteer in this vital role:
“Mari Friend, Rat Island rower, dynamo, and long-time volunteer, is an inventory guru, Darn Tough sock specialist, and integral part of retail operations. Anna Shaffer, long-time volunteer, creative artist, and organizational specialist is our merchandising whiz, and also an integral piece of our retail operation. Myron Gauger lends his knowledge of Port Townsend history to Welcome Center visitors, Alice King and Sandra Baughman are long-time weekly volunteers in the Welcome Center, and provide helpful information and knowledge to visitors and retail customers. Dick Benesch, Susan Camp, Sue Kutsch & Suzanne Murray, Bill and Ann Testerman provide warm welcomes, magic moments, and LOTS of information to visitors & guests.”
Fleet Maintenance Coordinator Sam Trocano noted the work of the Boatshop volunteers:
“This year has been extraordinary at the Boatshop, thanks to the dedication of our amazing volunteers. They’ve helped create meaningful maritime experiences, shared Northwest Maritime’s mission, and kept our fleet in top condition. Special recognition goes to Clayton Wright, who traveled from Spokane to dedicate over four weeks to fleet maintenance, Don Bryson and Steve Smolinski for teaching classes, and John Quinn for improving our workspace with the new Grizzly tools. Tim Rohrer, Harry Powell, Carol McCreary, and Les Jones have kept the shop open and organized. We’re also grateful to Dan Hopkins, Ken Bowen, Guy Smith, and many others for their support. Thank you to all our volunteers—you’re the heart of the Boatshop!”
Operations Coordinator/Registrar Verity FitzSimmons:
“…would like to send much kudos and gratitude to Anne Cameron, Lesly Sheinbaum, and Allene Niehaus, who are available on a regular basis, and in a pinch, at the administrative front desk. They work on a wide range of projects, from scanning and data entry to answering phones and helping walk-ins, and they do it all with a smile!
Also heartfelt thanks to my organizational dream team Dee and Keith Norlin! They turn racer and boater packets and registrations from a sprawling mess of t-shirts, paperwork, and the inner workings of my brain, into a smoothly-flowing sensible system. It borders on magic, and they do it all with unending humor and grace!”
Thank you all!
