Vacaville, Vallejo Naval museums keeping the lights on
Fundraising tough during pandemic
There’s little denying that museum visitors and volunteers tend to be, um, born around the middle of the last century.
Basically, they’re seniors. While “young seniors” are discount candidates at the movie theaters, others packing a Medicare card are jockeying for position in securing a COVID-19 vaccination.
And that’s good news for the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum and the Vacaville Museum.
Of course, while the museums remained on lockdown, it’s moot for indoor visits. At least transitioning from shelter-in-place to a “purple tier” allows for outdoor events, and that’s a bit of sunshine after a year of gloom.
“We are still closed until we move into the red designation,” said Jim Kern, executive director of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum, but the annual fundraising Garden Tour is in the books for Sunday, May 16.
The naval museum has remained afloat with individual donations and a few fundraisers, including a “Couch Potato 5K, 10K and Marathon,” with souvenir Tshirts of General Vallejo.
“We are also working on several grants that will allow us to keep our staff employed through the shutdown,” Kern said. “These include a California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant and a second round of funding through the federal Paycheck Protection Program. We are also looking at a federal Shuttered Venue Operators grant.”
One silver lining through the pandemic tornado: “I’ve also noticed a significant increase in people reaching out to do research, i.e. genealogy, research on the history of their homes, Navy history, etc.,” Kern said. “I attribute this to people sheltering at home, working from home, or laid off, thus giving them more time to do these ‘someday’ projects. Usually these would be assigned to one of our volunteers to research but since we do not have any volunteers on site these days it is keeping the staff busy.”
The pandemic undoubtedly “has been a special challenge. Not just for the museum, but for other nonprofits,” said Vacaville Museum Executive Director Joanie Erickson.
As if COVID-19 wasn’t enough, Vacaville’s endured the raging fires.
“It’s been a doublewhammy and a challenging year,” Erickson said, joining Vacaville Museum Guild Chairperson Pat Zetah on a conference call Tuesday.
The Vacaville Museum “does a lot of events and a lot of our fund-raising was event-based, our volunteer guild has come up with all kinds of creative ways” of helping the museum survive, Erickson said, hoping to use the museum courtyard by the spring.
“Like everyone else, we’re following the news reports. When we get vaccines in arms, we can hopefully open a little more and we’ll make sure we do so safely,” Erickson said.
The Vacaville Museum did produce its annual “Jacks on Display,” the artists’ painting of rabbits. It was held outside, the audience was limited and by reservation only. Masks, naturally, were required.
“People were just so happy to be out,” said Erickson, counting on volunteers like Zetah to keep the museum humming.
Zetah was a Fairfield teacher for 30 years before retiring after four years as principal in the Travis School District. She was encouraged to join the guild 15 years ago.
“A friend of mine was guild president and she had been inviting me to participate and I said, ‘No, I work. I can’t do that,'” Zetah said, finally surrendering and telling her friend, ‘OK, let me try and meeting.'”
She’s been hooked since. “It’s the camaraderie and meeting people,” Zetah said, thrilled that “a lot of retired
teachers” are guild members “and bring that sense of teaching to the curriculum.”
Zetah said she’s always amazed at the stories she hears from long-time Vacans.
“It’s just heart-warming to be around them,” she said. “In my 15 years, there have been so many enriching experiences.”
It’s about people discovering their common history of living in Vacaville, said Erickson.
“It helps build unity; helps build community,” she said. “We learn that we have these common connections. History helps people feel that connection.”
The Vacaville Museum is hoping for a summer unveiling
of its Nut Tree 100th anniversary exhibit and festivities.
“So much fun, so many memories,” Erickson said, again emphasizing the community spirit of the museum events.
“You might meet people you never would have interacted with before and you’re able to share memories of riding the (Nut Tree) train or the food,” Erickson said. “That’s what a museum is able to do.”
Erickson expects plenty of families for the Nut Tree celebration.
“We’ve been cooped up and we’ve all suffered,” she said.
In the healthcare business many years, “I’m learning
a lot more about Vacaville’s history and history of county” via the museum, Erickson said.
The Vacaville Museum and the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museums are collecting pandemic-related articles and items for future exhibits.
“In a few years, when the community’s ready, we can revisit how we got through it … hopefully,” Erickson said.
The Vacaville Museum is at 213 Buck Ave. For more, call (707) 447-4513. The Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum is at 734 Marin St.. For more, call (707) 6430077.