April Is National Volunteer Month
A ship is only as good as her crew and Battleship IOWA has an outstanding one! When the pandemic forced us to drastically cut our staff and operations, the extraordinary volunteers who are the heart and soul of our crew bridged the gap and they accomplished a lot!
Volunteer Coordinator Sue Schmidt joins us this week to give our volunteers some well-deserved recognition and highlight some of our re-opening efforts with an extraordinary crew.
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The pandemic has taught us a lot about the importance of wellness checks. If we do the same for our Volunteer Program, the results are encouraging. It’s been a rough year all around. Consistent with industry statistics at other non-profits during 2020, approximately 50% of the ship’s volunteers opted to stay safer at home. Some were engaged in a variety of remote volunteer activities, but these were limited. After the initial shut-down and the ship opened again with proper protocols in place, the volunteer response was overwhelmingly clear. Most wanted to return as soon as they felt it was safe to do so.
In 2020, 310 volunteers logged an impressive 32,341 hours. This total is a little over half of what we usually see, but almost unprecedented in the museum ship world under the circumstances.
Hours are only a part of the picture though. The real value is in the impact these volunteers have had not only on the organization and building to the future internally, but in supporting our mission for the public and keeping the Battleship IOWA a symbol of hope and strength in a community struggling with the ravages of COVID-19.
Volunteers like Dave Zisovic, Jim Ohr, Linda Ayers, Gary Lopes, Forrest Hippensteel, David DeMoss, Len Jablon, Dave Ferger, and so very many others stepped up to keep the ship open, active, and moving forward. I am humbled by their unwavering passion, effort, humor, and can-do attitude keeping us on a positive trajectory while maintaining a safe environment for all hands.
Fast forward to 2021 and the outlook is improving every day. In the month of April, we’ve not only seen an influx of returning volunteers, but growth in new volunteer inquiries. Each day brings a new adventure along with pride in our ship and the community we call our crew.
~Sue Schmidt
To learn more about how to be a part of it, click here or contact our Volunteer Services Manager, Sue Schmidt at: (877) 446-9261 ext 5.
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Hull Preservation – $10,000 Match Won!
When the $10,000 match came in, we had raised $14,583 for the hull preservation. We are now at $27,039. So we’ve raised $12,456 since the match offer and halfway to meeting the second match of $5,000!
Thank you to our anonymous donor and to everyone who has donated and helped us snag the $10K match! Now it’s on to winning the $5K match from a Richmond Crew donor and as stated, we’re halfway there!
We’re still a long way off from meeting our $200,000 goal by May 26th, but we’re grateful and inspired by your support. If you’re inspired, please share the great news and help us win the $5,000 match.
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From the Archives
Battleship IOWA was last drydocked in November 1990 in Norfolk, Virginia. Here’s how she looks completely out of the water.
As breathtaking as this view is, we’d prefer to go at least another thirty years before we see it in person. Help us do the work it’ll take to make that happen by supporting our hull preservation efforts!
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Keep It Going!
You can help just as much by getting the word out there. Be an advocate for the ship – share your passion for her and get your friends excited about what she represents and the thriving community she still supports.
Last week we got you up close to the wind and water line to see what’s really happening there and why it’s so critical for us to act now to prevent long-term corrosion that threatens the ship, in order to ensure our visitors, students, veterans, families, and seniors have a place to visit, volunteer, connect, and learn.
You can include last week’s video to convey how pressing the need is. Here’s the link: https://youtu.be/
Or you can send people directly to the donation link here.
Checks can be sent to:
Pacific Battleship Center
250 South Harbor Blvd.
San Pedro, CA 90731
Attn: Hull Preservation Campaign
A million thanks for your support!