The National Maritime Historical Society Salutes Leaders in Maritime Heritage at the 2011 Gala Annual Awards Dinner, 12 October 2011 NMHS will be continuing its long-standing tradition of recognizing and celebrating outstanding work in the maritime community on Wednesday, 12 October 2011. The setting for this memorable event will be the Model Room of the New York Yacht Club, the century-old New York landmark John Rousmaniere called "exuberant, nautical and eclectic"-the ideal surroundings for an evening honoring those who have contributed so much to the cause of maritime history and enriched the maritime heritage community through their efforts. Daniel Whalen and Karen Helmerson, co-chairs of the event this year, cordially invite you to attend, and join us in honoring these remarkable individuals and organizations.
Woodson K. Woods and the Lynx Education Foundation Woodson K. Woods and the Lynx will be recognized with the NMHS Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Maritime Education. Entrepreneur and sailing enthusiast Woodson Woods envisioned a sailing vessel as an ideal platform for combining the lessons of seafaring with promoting a berter understanding of the role of the privateers in rhe War of 1812. The inspiration for that vessel was rhe 1812 Baltimore clipper schooner Lynx, one of rhe first ships in rhe band of hardy privateers who defied rhe British blockade of our shores in rhar conflict, and what Woods considered "one of rhe most beautiful privateers rhar came our of the War of 1812." Designed by famed naval architect Melbourne Smith and built ar Rockport Marine in Rockport, Maine, rhe resulr was a new Lynx, a 78foor topsail schooner. Today Mr. Woods is the president of the board of directors of rhe Lynx Educational Foundation, which oversees the vessel's programming and schedule. The Lynx offers a variery of educational experiences, from that of a floating classroom, reaching valuable lessons in science and rhe early history of our nation to school-age students around the country; to dockside visits, where crew members decked out in period costume interpret the privateer's history for visitors and demonstrate rhe ship's period ordnance; to sail training experience on longer cruises. Award-winning author W illiam H. White will present the award.
Walter R. Brown The NMHS David A. O'Neil Sheet Anchor Award will be presented to Walter Brown, chairman emeritus and trustee of rhe National Maritime Historical Sociery, for his longtime support and leadership of rhe Sociery. Mr. Brown first went to sea ar rhe age of 18 as an ordinary seaman on a tanker for a summer job; then, after rwo years of universiry in the Midwest, he felt rhe call of rhe ocean and transferred to rhe Universiry of Southern California. After graduating with a degree in business, he served four years in rhe US Navy, rising to the rank of Lieutenant, "w first serving on a navy ranker and rhen as navigator on USS Westchester County (LST-1167) in ~ 0 Southeast Asia. After his honorable discharge from the Navy, he spent a year sailing around ~ !; Japan in a 36-foor bugeye ketch, and then ::> -'-----~~ 8 took a position with Stare Marine Lines' Tokyo office, later working for Texaco and a Hong Kong- and Vancouver-based company operating rankers and bulk carriers. Mr. Brown discovered NMHS in rhe early 1990s, picking up a copy of Sea History magazine in his local library. Wirh his interest piqued, he contacted NMHS then-president Peter Stanford and was immediately impressed with the organization. He became a trustee in 1993 and led rhe organization as its chairman from 2003 to 2006. His support and leadership have been invaluable to "w~ rhe Sociery. In addition to his involvement with NMHS, Mr. Brown is a trustee ~ 0 of rhe Sea Education Association and until recently served on Mystic Seaport's ~ Council of Advisors. President of US Sailing and America's Cup champion Gary !; ::> s. . . . .__'--""'"'""' Jobson will present Mr. Brown with rhe award.
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SEA HIS.STORY 136, AUTUMN 2011