Museum Thanks Docents
The 2019 Docent & Volunteer Appreciation Dinner was held June 18th at the King & Queen Women’s Club. Over 50 docents and quests attended and enjoyed visiting and a delicious meal prepared by the Women’s Club. As is usual for this event – thunderstorms were nearby but the weather waited until we were safely in the building before the deluge this year. Several new docents were welcomed and brief announcements regarding the new scheduling procedure and notice of upcoming 20th Anniversary events were given. A special thank-you went out to Dennis Roane & Dale Seward. While working on Memorial Day weekend, their quick thinking saved the Museum building from water damage due to leaking HVAC pipes in the attic above the second floor. Museum Council Chair, Nancy Herman-Thompson, gave a special recognition to three Docents for their extra efforts in volunteering at the Museum: Newell Randall, Page McLemore, and Biddie Shelor. Newell was presented with a special photograph of the Mattaponi taken by David Litchfield, and Page and Biddie each received a watercolor painting by local artist (and Museum Council member) Gwynn Litchfield.
“Dorothy Docent” who continues to encourage, educate and humor us into being better docentsn attended. This year Dorothy also gave us our list of needed improvements to the building and exhibits, and reminded us to pick up a dust cloth and use it. Thanks to Linda Barnes for her preparation and her continued desire to educate us with her alter-ego. Our speaker for the evening was Ms. Holly Horton of Poquoson. Holly had previously been employed with the Middlesex County Museum and the Historical Society of West Point. She spoke on current trends in genealogical research, and especially the use of DNA results to further your family history. She enthusiastically shared that she is related to a local King & Queen family, the Chenault’s, and that her early ancestors were French-Huegonaut immigrants to America.
A door prize raffle was led by Wyatt Sheley and Roberta Jones with twelve lucky winners. A special thanks goes to Frank and Barbara Hurst for providing our meal. And thank you again to ALL Docents for all you do to help keep the doors open for our Museum.
