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I just got home from the Grand Opening. Very glad I attended. Very happy to get to see the museum. Got to talk with Baltimore Jack and finally meet Trail Angel Mary. Sorry that Gene Espey could not attend but it was great to hear Earl's brother, Grandma Gatewood's daughter, and Ed's daughter speak. I posted some pictures under get togethers.
Here is a link to photos.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/brow...imageuser=1880
Hey, Shakey Legs
Thank you for posting your photos, and video of the events today.
It takes away some of the sting of not being there in person.
CG :)
Great pictures. Thanks.
Sorry I forgot to post the official Ribbon (Duct Tape) Cutting Ceremony.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnmIAyk8fRs
This is a panoramic of the crowd in attendance at the Grand Opening Ceremony. The totals in attendance have been determined by the Appalachian Trail Museum Society to be 750 in attendance for the event and 500+ visitors to the Museum. And quoting Bill O'Brien in remarks at the Opening Ceremony, the original estimated cost of the museum was $525,000. Because of the countless volunteer hours, equipment and tools we barely cracked $50,000.
I use the word "we" because every member of the Appalachian Trail Museum Society is important to the goal of accomplishing the museum opening. From Larry Luxemburg, the Societies President and founder of the idea, to all the officers, to the persons involved since it's inception 12 years ago, to the volunteers that helped in the last 72 hours sprint to getting the building ready, to the volunteers that did the garden beds outside the museum, to the donators of artifacts for the museum, to the trail clubs who participated in the event,to the docents volunteering their time as greeters at the museum and those members who join the museum society for a mere $20.00, all are important to the success.
But keeping the museum open and alive, is an ongoing process which will require continual funds acquired by donations, volunteer hours, specialty services and continued annual membership dues. In the words of Terry Wilson, Vice President of the Museum Society, Saturday was the wedding. Now we have to work on the marriage!
From attendance at the AT Museum Society Meeting on Sunday, I gather the museum's priority needs right now are to acquire a place that can be used to store all the artifacts that are being donated; determining a program chairman and committee; and updating the web site and determining a web site master and designer.
You can go to http://www.atmuseum.org to make a donation and join the Museum Society. To volunteer as a greeter at the museum you can email Margy Schmidt at [email protected]