The Holiday Season: Christmas, New Year’s, Kwanzaa, et al, are completed and now, onward to a new year, new adventures and responsibilities.
COVID-19 is still with us, which is where the ‘responsibilities’ part comes in. Washington State Gov. Jay Islee is slow/cautious to re-open shuttered businesses. Depending on such variables as vaccines and treatments, small businesses, like our very own Museum, may have a long wait ahead…only time will tell. But: Open we will!
Meanwhile, we are still maintaining the Museum and Ship’s Store, keeping things clean and sanitized for returning visitors; we have leases for our Aircraft Display Area (ADA, where we keep our Catalina PBY5-a, a staff car, six-wheel truck, Nimitz-Class Carrier model, and other stuff), a warehouse and library. Our leases have been covered in the past, for the most part, by visitors’ paid admissions and store sales.
With ongoing grants and capital reserves we are doing OK. If this COVID holding pattern keeps up until Spring things could change. All of the key players here in Oak Harbor have dedicated themselves to preserving the histories with which we have been entrusted. Our volunteers are doing their best as well (within the Rules).
Since you are reading this, I trust that you have an interest in Naval Aviation, its histories and our Museum as well. We thank you for support in the past and encourage you to continue your generosity. The only way we can beat this Plague…and prevail…is Together.
