On a recent Wednesday, the sounds of power tools and voices echoed through the mezzanine section at the New Hampshire Boat Museum, where volunteers gathered to work on various tasks for the day. The group, also known as “The Facade Fun-atics” or the “Kradle Krew,” meet weekly to construct the exhibit backdrops for NHBM’s upcoming season.
“It’s been wonderful to see these volunteers work so hard and selflessly each week,” explained NHBM Development Director Wendy Stocker.
This work is wide-ranging, as some volunteers on this day painted stripes of teal, sky, and navy blue to match NHBM’s logo in the “Courting Canoes” exhibit, while another shingled the roof of a boathouse. At the same time, other volunteers were creating a wall of paneling where the boat shop will stand with repurposed wood donated from a family cottage on Lake Wentworth that dated from the late 1800s.
In the collection room, three women organized files that needed to be sorted after moving from NHBM’s Wolfeboro location last year. “We are working on lots of different projects right now,” said NHBM Trustee Nancy Black, who said she dedicates about twenty hours weekly as a volunteer in preparation for Opening Day on Saturday, May 24. “We’re trying to go through files, organize items on loan, and reach out to people about their items if the loan has expired.”
Each month, the Collections committee meets to evaluate potential gifts of artifacts and boats for the permanent collection. “When you move, you find things—it’s been fascinating to uncover artifacts and the stories behind them,” added volunteer Rosanne Bell, who often works alongside Black.
Fellow volunteer Ann Rowe said their work is “all about research.” “That’s what’s interesting to me,” she added.
Black, Bell, and Rowe have also not shied away from following clues, as each has made phone calls and investigated real estate deeds to track down specific boats and boat makers. This research has led them to not only learn more about boats but about the Lakes Region community. “It’s fun tracking these histories and learning about the people and places involved,” Black explained. “I could write a whole novel about the things we have discovered.”
According to Black, stories are at the proverbial heart of NHBM’s mission. “Boats have connected people in this region for many, many years,” she noted. “All of us volunteers are here now because we love this community.”
They also love coffee breaks. “It’s mandatory,” laughed Rowe before joining the other volunteers who sat in a circle of chairs in the middle of the exhibits under construction.
About NHBM
Founded in 1992 by antique and classic boating enthusiasts, NHBM offers dynamic exhibits and engaging events and programs tailored to the diverse boating lifestyles and values of people of all ages. NHBM exhibits, events and programming covers everything from boat charters, boat trips and race boats to canoes, wooden boats, outboard motors, sculling, sailing sunfish, and Lyman and Johnson motors. Some of our hands-on programs take place on Lake Winnipesaukee. NHBM is sponsored in part by Belletetes, Eastern Propane & Oil, Epoxy Floor New England, Goodhue Boat Company, Kingswood Press and Design Studio, KW Coastal, Lake and Mountains, North Water Marine, and Taylor Community.