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What, you may ask, will Friends of NV State Museum, LV do next?
by Joan Whitely, Friends President
After this prolonged period of social separation, I know we’re all antsy to get back – safely – into close contact with our museum Friends and friends in general.
Nevada doesn’t yet have a precise timeline for re-opening private or state venues, such as Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas.
But I’d like to announce an epidemiologically-safe Friends event from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on May 12 (a Tuesday) that will preserve social distancing but also raise funds for our organization. It’s a take-out-only benefit dinner at the Café Zupas at 7521 W. Lake Mead Blvd., LV 89128. (No other Zupas locations are participating.) Its website includes menu, pricing and maps.
Also, there’s a chance you’ll recognize another Friend behind the wheel of another vehicle in the Café Zupas parking lot or drive-through, and can exchange hand waves through your windshields!
The May 12 benefit covers orders placed at the drive-through window as well as orders placed online. If you’re interested in having the meal delivered, please ask whether your address is in delivery range.
At the time of this newsletter's publication, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak hasn’t announced the reopening of state-run museums under its Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs. Our museum has asked the Friends to hold no meetings or events on its premises until at least July. Of course, we happily comply.
As a result, we will reschedule the May 2 bookfair fundraiser at the Henderson Barnes & Noble. Also, we have moved our second annual Red & White benefit wine tasting from its April date. The Friends look, as well, to secure new dates for both our Jubilee Reunited event originally set for late May, and our annual Secrets of Tea party originally set for mid-June.
We cancelled our April general meeting, but the Friends board is working out a way to hold our May 21 meeting online, complete with guest speaker and her slide presentation. Once we’ve settled on a digital platform that imposes no cost on participants, we will mail out user-friendly instructions for joining the session.
Be safe. Be of good heart. We miss you!
Board Persuing UCLA Consulting and Grant Opportunities
Even during the social distancing required for public health during the coronavirus pandemic, members of the Friends board have been putting irons in the fire. Including the two mentioned opportunities in the above article, we have also pursued consulting and grant opportunities with UCLA.
This opportunity involves the chance for the Friends to be evaluated by a group of MBA candidates in a social-impact consulting program at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management. The competition was limited to non-profit groups, with the winner receiving recommendations for strategic growth, in order to widen its reach within its community. In a second stage, the winner would also be eligible to apply for a grant to carry out a project incorporating some of those suggestions.
We are still awaiting complete results.
Board Education Liason Recounts Her Productivity During Virus Period
by Donna Harper
Self-quarantined since March, even before the state shutdown, I have been able to keep from “crawling the walls” by working on various projects for Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas and the Friends.
First, I’ve kept extremely busy organizing our new Artifacts & Fossils Traveling Trunk, which is funded by the Henderson-based Kasner Family Foundation as well as the Delta Kappa Gamma Professional Women Educators Group. I researched and planned its contents in concert with the Clark County School District and with museum employees Sali Underwood, curator of natural history, and Education Curator Stacy Irvin.
For the trunk we developed an interdisciplinary theme that combines paleontology and archaeology. It will be our first STEAM trunk (science, technology, engineering, art and math) that is suitable for students in kindergarten through Grade 12. Its lesson plans and activities - which I created - meet district, state and federal curriculum standards for those subjects.
In addition, two weeks ago Irvin notified me of a grant available through the Desert Research Institute, which involves providing similar STEM education opportunities to Clark County School District students. Guess what? Our museum trunks qualify for a grant! So I drafted an application with assistance from Irvin as well as CCSD teachers familiar with STEM requirement, which we completed April 29.
We have asked for approximately $4,600, which will cover creating two more Artifacts & Fossils trunks and two more ECO Challenge trunks that focus on West Coast monarch butterflies.
As CCSD teachers requested both of these types of trunks, we expect them to be booked immediately for the entire upcoming school year, as was the case last year with our first Eco trunk. All new trunks, if funded, will be ready for use by Aug. 1.
In addition, I’ve spent my isolation time monitoring the Friends’ two graphic-arts interns, inventorying the notecards the Friends sell online and preparing for the Friends 2020 Dino Day, a family event I’m chairing that will comprise numerous hands-on activity stations.
I am thankful for these museum projects, as well as my own crafts (I have completed 26 projects), painting (two works in progress), sewing (made 52 virus-protective masks), and reading (four books down with another underway. Through these tasks I have had something positive, fun and helpful to do every day.
I hope reading this article finds all members and acquaintances healthy and well during this public-health emergency. Please be patient. Please be safe.
Intern Spotlight: Anne Camille Duque
by Donna Harper
Anne Camille Duque, 23, is the eldest of three sisters in her Filipino family. A graduate of St. Paul Pasig and California State, Nevada she is currently a graduating Senior at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas majoring in Graphic Design. The Friends were lucky to have her as an intern at the Nevada State Museum this semester working on many educational brochures, traveling trunk materials, and projects that were assigned by Education Director, Stacy Irvin and The Friends.
Anne has a wide range of hobbies. She enjoys illustration, sewing, printmaking, and nail artistry. She is also a huge fan of the band, NCT. Her goal is to work in the film industry as a graphic designer. In her words, “think Annie Atkins in Grand Budapest Hotel." She would very much like to try her hand at being a tattoo artist as well!
After her initial tour of the museum, she said: “ It felt like a crash course in the history of Nevada. I genuinely feel like you can come in everyday and find something new. You’ll never run out of things to discover. There’s something in there for everyone.” Her personal favorite was seeing the evolution of the branding materials for a number of the hotels and casinos. Collaborating with Alex Panzer, our other intern, was very challenging with the COVID-19 outbreak, but Anne and Alex have done an amazing job working to provide completion of all the projects, including those requested by The Friends.
The Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas has once again been provided outstanding design work from the Graphic Design Department, under the leadership of Professor, Michael Wong. The Friends are thankful for the opportunity to work with such talented students and UNLV personnel.
by Donna Harper
Alex Panzer is one of two interns this year, along with Anne Camille Duque. Alex is a Senior at UNLV. A native Las Vegas resident, he is the youngest of three brothers. He graduated from the Beacon Academy of Nevada, and will graduate with a major in Graphic Design with a minor in Art History.
Outside of design Alex has many interests and hobbies. He has been playing the drums for 12 years, “as music is my biggest passion in life other than art.” He rides dirt bikes and 4-wheelers, and has “a very huge interest in American traditional tattoos". One of Alex’s biggest goals when it comes to graphic design, is to either own or be a part of a studio that functions not only as a graphic studio, but also a tattoo shop. He hopes to work with friends from both industries.
While working at the Museum, Alex participated in designing new materials for the Education Department’s summer program, an education booklet for the traveling trunks, and the Friends’ brochure. Of his thoughts on the museum, Alex said:
“I think the museum itself is great. I wish there were more of its caliber out there. My favorite part is the huge collection and archive, as someone who not only loves history but is very interested in ‘vintage’ design and print materials, I was very excited to learn about this. On top of that, just about the entire collection has been digitized which makes the resource even better. NSMLV is one of my favorite types of museums; one that is much more than just a mere museum you might not go out of your way for.”
The Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas has once again been provided outstanding design work from the Graphic Design Department, under the leadership of Professor, Michael Wong. The Friends are thankful for the opportunity to work with such talented students and UNLV personnel.
2020 EVENTS, NV STATE MUSEUM, LV NOTICE: DUE TO THE CURRRENT COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS, ALL MAY EVENTS, EXCEPT THE CAFÉ ZUPAS EVENT, ARE CANCELED. CONSULT OUR SITE OR NEXT MONTH'S NEWSLETTER FOR ANY UPDATES. PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, YOUR FAMILY, AND THE WORLD. |
To see the complete schedule for the year, please go to our Events page.