NMHS:
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A CAUSE IN MOTION
Gala Washington Awards Dinner highlights the rich depth of our maritime heritage. It was indeed a gala, resplendent with famous people in the maritime h eritage community, replete with stimulating conversations, vistas of the W hite House at night, magnificent maritime art and rousing authentic 19th-century music. Our guests had the opportunity to bid on many unique, wonderful objects and adventures in the silent auction. William and Donna Dudley served as our gracious and knowledgeable co-chairs for the 2012 Washington Awards Dinner at the prestigious National Press C lub on Thursday, 12 April 201 2. The three eminently qualified awardees proved to be excellent speakers, with personal stories that both inspired and entertained. Video biographies on each awardee, created by NMHS Vice Chairman Rick Lopes, were a high point of the evening. The combination of naval, yachting, and art enthusiasts underscored how multi-faceted the maritime heritage community is. As the national voice for our maritime heritage, the National Maritime Historical Society is in the unique position of being able to focus attention on and bring recognition to those who have made significant contributions, which both encourages others to excel and demonstrates the underlying value of working in the field. -Burchenal Green, President NMHS Chairman Ronald Oswald (3rd from left) and dinner cochairs Donna (left) and Bill Dudley (2nd from right) welcome five previous NMHS award recipients who attended this year's event: James Cheevers (2nd from left), Congresswoman H elen Delich Bentley (front), Walter Brown (4th from right), Admiral Robert ]. Papp, USCG Commandant (3rd from right); and NMHS Chairman Emeritus Howard Slotnick (right) . Senator Christopher Dodd (below, left) gave a warm and impassioned description of the critical nuclear submarine work of Admiral Bruce DeMars, USN (Ret.), before presenting him with the NMHS Distinguished Service Award for actively promoting the important history ofAmerica's Navy. (right) David and Ginger H ildebrand of The Colonial Music Institute performed an 1814-era version of"The Star-Spangled Banner" and 1812-era songs. Their specialty is the interpretation ofearly American music on appropriate reproduction instruments. (See D r. H ildebrand's article in this issue on pages 16-21.) George ]. Collins (below, right), former CEO ofT Rowe Price and owner of C hessie Racing and other Farr yachts, was most gracious as he told personal stories about Bruce Farr before he made the presentation of the NMHS Distinguished Service Award to Bruce K Farr, one of the most successful racing yacht designers in the world.
Charles Raskob Robinson of the American Society of Marine Artists (right) congratulates Patrick OBrien for his remarkable ability to capture the Age of Sail in art and painting all the sea battles ofthe War of1812, before presenting him with the NMHS D istinguished Service Award.
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SEA HISTORY 139, SUMMER 2012