Blog

Dear docents,

Since the start of COVID, I have been constantly confused about time.  What day is it?  What month is it?  What time is it?   I am particularly confused right now.  I am sitting here eating Halloween candy and listening to a Christmas commercial with the window open and a warm breeze blowing. Although I’m guessing it won’t be so warm in a few days when you read this!

The holiday that gets lost in all this is Thanksgiving.  The holiday that I learned about in grade school is not, in fact, the happy-go-lucky situation we sang about.  It was a complicated time, growing more complicated as Europeans descended upon the already well-populated “new world.”  Today we are becoming more in touch with those who were here before us.  A land acknowledgement statement is now posted in the CAC lobby.  While we will not be reading this statement to start our tours, the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) committee is looking at tours where it is appropriate to have an honest discussion about the indigenous folks who lived on this land before our ancestors arrived.

The DEIA committee, was formed after the original CAC land acknowledgement statement was crafted; it’s members include 3 CAC board members, 3 CAC staff members, 1 CAC volunteer, and 3 docents.  The three docents are Kathy Baker, Erica Myles, and me.  This committee was created at the behest of the CAC board of trustees to evaluate ALL things DEIA-related.  This includes considering the diversity in the composition of all groups within the CAC as well as diversity in programming, civic engagement, etc.  The committee has an extremely broad mission, and it will likely be around for a long time  to address these issues.

Speaking of committees, a new year is fast approaching—a good time for docents to consider joining a Docent Council committee.  Check out the Docent Handbook to learn about our various committees. It’s in the committees are where the work gets done.  Docent council governs, but committees make the organization run.

Congratulations to the docents who just won the election for a two-year council term for.  They are Ross Wirth, Tom Stelmack, Lori Nelson, Ed McDevitt, Donna Gabanski, and Mary Jo Hoag.  Thanks to them for volunteering even MORE time to the docent cause, and thanks to all of you for voting.  Special thanks to the election committee for organizing and executing another smooth election.

So, let’s put Halloween in the rearview mirror.  It is the season to give thanks.  Many of us will join together with family and friends.  We will  mourn the loss of those not with us this year.  I know our table will feel a bit empty with the loss of my father a few weeks ago.  But we will raise a glass in his honor, and we will look around at all the family and friends still with us and realize how truly blessed we are.

Happy Thanksgiving to all,

Kent.