The 2018 Annual Meeting took place on February 5, 2019. About 90 Members of the DRHS gathered to vote a new slate of Trustees, recognize outgoing Trustees, and to honor valued volunteers with the Volunteer Recognition Awards.
Click at the following link to watch the entire Annual Meeting on video: You Tube. (Thank you to volunteer videographer, Ed Hughes).
Below are the remarks made by Executive Director Erin McGough at the Annual Meeting in honor of the recipients:
Incoming Board Members:
Patricia Loring was nominated for a term expiring in 2022.Pat is a veteran Massachusetts conservation professional with a background in open space planning, project administration and fundraising. She has worked for state and local governments and non-profit conservation organizations, receiving awards for her work. Among Pat’s Duxbury projects are the permanent protection of the O’Neil Dairy Farm and the Town Green. She is currently a member of the Wildlands Trust Board and serves on several municipal committees. Pat has been a long time member of DRHS and is currently serving on the Lands Committee.
Peter Rapelye was nominated for a term expiring in 2022. Peter retired in 2012 after 40 years as an independent school educator, AP history teacher, and administrator, most recently as headmaster of the Princeton Junior School. Peter is an Army veteran and has pursued additional studies in history at Brown University, Harvard University, Princeton University, University of Massachusetts, and University of Oxford. Peter’s board experience includes trustee of UNOW Day Nursery (Board Chair) in Princeton, French American School of Princeton, Green Mountain Valley School (VT), NJAIS (NJ Association of Independent Schools), and Director of Duxbury Yacht Club. Peter is a long time member of DRHS, a volunteer for 3rd grade tours, and currently serves on the Education Committee.
Barbara Hayes was nominated for a term expiring in 2022. A proven strategic leader and collaborative partner for over 25 years, Barbara is currently Principal & Founder of Integrated Insights Consulting and works closely with a wide range of nonprofit clients to build mission-focused organizational cultures and effective, high-impact strategies for growth. Prior to consulting, Barbara was Executive Director of Beyond Conflict, an global conflict resolution organization, Director of Development and Strategic Partnerships at Wellesley Centers for Women, and was the Director of External Relations at Bay Farm Montessori Academy where she also served as President of the Board of Trustees for many years. A long-time resident of Duxbury, Barbara raised her three, now adult children here. She is a current and past member of DRHS and is looking forward to working with the board and members at this exciting time in the organization’s history.
Trustee for Re-election: Sally Redmond was nominated for a term expiring in 2022.
Outgoing Board Members:
Joe Messina served a full board term and was reelected to the board at the last annual meeting. Unfortunately, due to increased professional responsibilities and time commitments, he had to resign from the board in March 2018. Joe is and has always been a valuable voice, providing clear guidance to the DRHS on a number of topics, but especially in relation to his legal expertise and his knowledge of the Conservation Commission. Joe continues to serve on the Lands Committee and we thank him for his contributions.
David Corey served as a non-elected, interim Board Member this year and it was a joy to have him rejoin the board, if only for a short time. A past board president and long-time board member, David’s vision, temperament, and enthusiastic support of the DRHS is appreciated time and again, as he always finds new ways to contribute. David continues to serve on the Lands and Properties Committees and we are grateful for his continued participation in the DRHS.
Sarah Evans has served two full terms as a board member, contributing to the Properties Committee and to the Nominating Committee over the years. Sarah has brought to the DRHS her deep ties to the Duxbury community and her experience as a mother with a young family. Sarah’s quiet strength is admirable and we thank her for her long time contributions to the DRHS.
Ashley Morhman has served two full terms, actively contributing in myriad ways, including as Chair of the Nominating Committee, a member of the Membership, Finance and Compensation Committees, and as Chair and Volunteer for untold numbers of projects, events and programs – most recently working with Joy Bannon to conceive of an implement the wonderful Tea By The Sea program for children. Ashley also served on the Search Committee for a new director in 2014 and has generously given of her expertise in recruiting. A long time Duxbury resident with deep ties in the community, Ashley has been the epitome of an ambassador for the DRHS and she will be greatly missed on the board. Thank you, Ashley, for your friendship and dedication over the years.
Chris Sherman has served two full terms and for the past 4 years has been Board President. He has been active and will continue to serve on numerous committees, including Executive, Finance, Compensation, Investment, Lands, and Properties. As Board President, Chris has envisioned an active DRHS, supported our growth, and encouraged us to reach deeper into the Duxbury community. He has represented us at town meetings and in individual conversations on various issues, he has been a proponent of a more active Lands management program, and he saw us through the new Strategic Agenda of 2018. To all his work, Chris brings a genuine and deep enthusiasm for the DRHS, a wide and far-reaching vision for what we can obtain, and a kind and thoughtful manner that has guided us through the good and the challenging. Chris, it has been an honor to work with you – thank you for making us the DRHS that we are today.
Volunteer Recognition Awards:
In addition to the staff of the DRHS, hundreds of volunteers make our efforts possible. Volunteers transcribe diaries, make minor repairs on the houses, work as interns and summer tour guides, oversee rentals on our properties, provide food for events, work in the gardens and on the lands committee, publish books, supervise collections and acquisitions, run education programs, walking tours, and school tours, and even more keep the Ship’s Store functioning at events. There is something for everyone at the DRHS, and our volunteers make us so much richer than we would be otherwise. We are grateful every day for their contributions. So in their honor, tonight we present our Annual Volunteer Recognition awards.
This year’s award in Lands and Gardens goes to a fabulous gardener – and our go to person – for planting tips, depths and how to keep our specimens thriving and surviving. Most recently she took on the “catnip” project at King Caesar and also the “butterfly” bush at Nathaniel Winsor. We are grateful to this volunteer for her dedication and generous spirit in the gardens. This year’s award in Lands and Gardens goes to Pamela Webster-Walsh.
This year’s award for Preservation goes to a volunteer who works primarily with the Historic Textiles & Clothing Committee. This very active committee is composed of numerous dynamic, engaged and valuable volunteers, but this one rises above in her commitment to the projects, her attendance at work days and events, and in the genuine good spirit and kindness that she brings to the work. She has also recently joined the Collections Committee, a committee with a lot of responsibility and we are glad to have her input. This year’s award in Preservation goes to Katey Cullen.
This year’s award in Education goes to a new volunteer who joined our team of summer Tour Guides this year, and fully embraced the spirit of the work, including its opportunity to be an ambassador for the DRHS. A talented tour guide and all around good person, this volunteer has already volunteered to help peer-to-peer train new and returning Tour Guides this coming season. We thank him and award this year’s award in Education to Dean Manheimer.
The award in Activities goes to a volunteer who has received awards before. However, her contributions continue and grow as the years go by. This year, not only did this volunteer Co-Chair the tremendously-successful Christmas at King Caesar, but she also spear headed a new project, Tea by The Sea. This summer afternoon at the King Caesar House was enjoyed by numerous families and was one of the highlights of the season. This volunteer’s energy is infectious and we thank her because she has already volunteered to chair next year’s Christmas program! This year’s award in Activities goes to Joy Bannon.
This year’s New Volunteer Award goes to one of the most enthusiastic, fun volunteers I have ever had the privilege of working with. Another new tour guide, this volunteer has grown into other roles as well, including helping with the Maritime Festival and joining the Textiles & Clothing Committee. We thank her for her contributions and award this year’s New Volunteer Award to Paula Murphy.
