President’s Report

By Linda Hofler, Friends of the Museum of the Albemarle’s President

I have been the president of the Friends of the Museum of the Albemarle (FOMOA) for the last two years. What a two years it has been for all of us! COVID-19 turned our world upside down. Every aspect of our lives was affected: the way we conducted business, interacted with individuals, and lived our daily lives. We all had to rethink how we operated and adapt to new ways of accomplishing our mission.

I am so proud of our staff as they have continued to adapt to new ways to reach the public. When MOA was closed to the public for a portion of 2021, the staff continued the History for Lunch program by going virtual. Also, activity packets were created for children of different ages to help them engage with learning. Parents were able to come by the museum to pick up the packets. The staff continued to work on new exhibits for the future.

In 2022, two new exhibits opened. Guardians of the Land: Discovering Indigenous Americans opened in January. It tells the story of Indigenous Americans of the Albemarle region through artifacts and images. The second exhibit, Rock of the Eye: Boatbuilding Traditions Around the Albemarle Sound, will open the night of FOMOA’s Annual Membership Meeting on October 10 from 6 to 8 p.m. Please mark your calendar to be present for this event. Joan Maxwell of Regulator Marine, Inc. will be the guest speaker.

In June, FOMOA had its first fundraiser in over two years. Night at the Nags Head Casino Dance Party was a great success. Nearly 200 people danced the night away to beach music provided by the band Connected and DJ Mike Thigpen. A silent auction was held as well. An original watercolor painting of the Nags Head Casino by William Hoffman was one of the many items in the auction. I would like to thank the staff and board members who decorated the portico, collected tickets, and tended the bar. Also, a huge thank you to various businesses who helped to sponsor this event.

Summer Fun Days and At the Movies have been added for summer programming. These events are geared to provide activities for children during school break. History for Lunch continues to be a popular event. Speakers’ topics are diverse and promote interest in our regional history. People once again can attend in person as well as virtually. In addition, all History for Lunch programs are recorded and uploaded to the Museum of the Albemarle YouTube channel, so they can be viewed anytime.

During this time, our membership has increased to 400. I would love to see membership climb above the 450-mark before the Annual Membership Meeting in October.

In closing, I would like to thank the current and past members of FOMOA. Without the vision a few people had for a regional museum, we would not be here today. Without the Friends of the Museum of the Albemarle, the work of the museum would be limited. FOMOA provides the funding for the exhibits, free educational programming, and artifact conservation. Due to the stewardship of former and current members of FOMOA, we were able to continue to financially support the Museum of the Albemarle during the last two years of COVID-19 restrictions. Great things are happening at the Museum of the Albemarle. Come join our team!