NMHS:
'
A CAUSE IN MOTION
NMHS "Weathering the Storm Thanks to Its Members; Dr. Ballard to Speak atAnnual Dinner The deteriorating economic environmenr of the past two years has created a difficult climate for nor-for-profirs, which depend on donations to cover their expenses. Your Society has not been an exception. Our membership renewals remain strong, with members raising the level of their memberships from Regular to Friend or Patron to Donor, and the response to our recent funding appeal exceeded expectations.Unfortunately, however, many major contributors have fo und that they are not in a financial position to provide their usual generous support. The serious nature of the resultingshorrfa lls forced the NMHS Board of Trustees to consider whether the Sociery could go forward as a viable educational organizatio n. No one wanted to step aside while a vibrant 40-year-old membership organization slipped away, but it was clear the Sociery could not go forward with "business as usual." Therefore, on 23 April 2003, the Board of Trustees voted to keep the Sociery going with a much reduced staff, maintaining only the most vital components of our mission while positioning
-----------------NATIONAL MARITIME HISTORICAL SOCIETY
NMHS to recover and flourish in its work when the economy rebounds. For our members, the most obvious result of this decision is that we wiII continue to produce Sea History, although the current issue covers both spring and summer, and the next issue, Sea History 105, is scheduled for autumn. The National Maritime Historical Sociery's education initiative will go forward using funds specifically earmarked for educational programming. For example, we received an enthusiastic response to our "Sea History for Kids" pages, which debuted in Sea History 103. This section of the magazine will continue in this (pp3637) and future issues, through a grant from the James A. Macdonald Foundation, thanks to NMHS advisor Walter Handelman. Education Director David Allen is also developing a series of maritime history courses at the State U niversiry of New York's Maritime College at Fort Schuyler with support from the David M. Milton Charitable Trust. The NMHS event schedule is being pared down as well. We greatly regretted
Annual Awards Dinner Wednesday, 5 November 2003 at the New York Yacht C lub New York, New York
Keynote Speaker & Distinguished: ServiceAwan{ Recipient
at Fort Schuyler 6 Pennyfield A venue Bronx, New York
DR. ROBERT B ALLARD NMHS Founder's SlleetAncfwr Award DAVID A. O'NEIL, NMHS Trustee
$50 pe r person For reservations and information contact:
• :
* * * * * Through the difficulties of the past year and a half, demonsrrarions of commi rm en t from the membership confirmed that this 40-year-old organ ization is sti ll making a mark in the preservation of our maritime heritage and has a viral role to play in the future . Your su pport, assistance and advice greatly increase NMHS' s abili ry to weather this storm. -BURCHENAL GREEN
NATIONAL MARITIME HISTORICAL SOCIETY
•• 40th Annual Meeting •• (rescheduled) • Saturday, 13 September 2003 ••• •• at the • SUNY Maritime College 9AM: Registration & Coffee 10AM: Business Meeting lPM: Lunch 2:30PM: Tours
postponing our annual meeting at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, where we were going to be hosted by the Naval Academy Museum. We are looking forward to getting to Annapolis next sp ring for the 2004 meeting, giving us the opportuniry to reschedule the full weekend of wonderful events being planned by friends and members in the local communiry. Our 2003 annual meeting (see below, left) will now be held on Saturday, 13 September, closer to home at the Maritime College at Fort Schuyler, a great venue we have visited before. We hope to see many of you there-your input is needed more than ever! The notice of the Annual Awards Dinner on 5 November 2003 is also below.
NMHS, PO Box 68 Peekskill NY 10566 phone: 800 221-6647, xO e-mail: nmhs@seahistory.org
SEA HISTORY 104, SPRING/SUMMER 2003
Reception at 5:30PM; Dinner at 7PM $300 per person For reservations: NMHS , PO Box 68 Peekskill NY 10566 phone: 800 221-6647, xO
e-mai l: nmhs @seahi story.org Seating is limited, so please reserve your space immediately. Black tie optional
Dr. Ballard ofthe Institutefor Exploration is renownedfor his discovery ofthe wrecks oftheTiran ic, USSYorkrown, and other ships, and, most recently, his work in the depths ofthe Black Sea.
s