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Dear Docent Family,

I am an accountant by trade, and I’m good at it.  I would make a terrible salesman.  If forced into sales, I might just crawl into bed and refuse to come out.  But with this month’s letter, I come to you with a sales pitch.

We have come to an interesting point in our history on the river.  So I would like those of you who are not river docents to consider learning more about the river.  Due to COVID, we had no 2021 new docent training class, and it appears there will be no 2022 class as we reconsider our training process.  We are looking to have a robust class of 2023 and we will continue to recruit river docents from the most recent class.  Given continued expansion of River Cruise departures, we need to continue to train new river docents now.  So I ask you excellent docents who have not given the river a try to reconsider.

As a new docent from the class of 2009, I was adamant that I would never give the River Cruise.  I said, “It’s too impersonal” and “I cannot memorize all that stuff”. So, I gave my dozen or so walking tours from 2009 to 2013.  As I did so, I watched some of my colleagues give the River Cruise.  I was aware that most of the revenue for CAC comes from the river cruise.  And I decided—if I am going to be a significant part of this organization, I should give the flagship tour, the Chicago Architecture Foundation Center River Cruise Aboard Chicago’s First Lady (Yes, that is really the full title).

I attended information sessions in 2014. There was so much excitement at these meetings.  River docents attended to give testimonials about how meaningful the River Cruise had become to them, and I decided to learn the cruise.  The memorization was easier than expected.  I practiced at home with the River Cruise video and my wooden spoon as a stand-in for a microphone.  I worked with my coach, Judith Kaufmann, to make sure my stories and themes made sense.  And ultimately, I was certified by Lindy Trigg.  The advice and counsel of these mentors is still valuable to me today.

But what about “the tour is impersonal” concern?  I could not have been more misguided.  Pre-COVID, river docents walked the line before the cruise, talking to each tour taker.  I found I spoke MORE to tour takers in a personal way than I ever did for a walking tour.  While we no longer walk the line, I stand at the top of the stairs on the boat and welcome folks.  I get a chance to say hello, and often learn something about them–hats and shirts often generate a question about where they are from.  And post-cruise, I stand on the dock to answer questions.  So many people approach.  Some with questions, but many just to say, “I am from {location}.  That was a great tour.  I learned so much.”  And my favorite comment (which I have heard more than once), “That is the best tour I have ever taken.”

It really is a great tour.  If you have been thinking about the river but have been reluctant to take the plunge (sorry, couldn’t resist), please consider it.  Talk to some river docents and get their story.  Consider attending an information session or talking to the River Cruise tour directors, Constance Rajala and Lance Friedmann.

Fall is always so bittersweet, knowing that in November we will say good-bye to the river until March.  For me, it’s time to hit the pavement again for some land-based tours over the next few months!  I always enjoy the walking tours, but I will be watching the calendar, anticipating a return to the river.

Hope to see you on the street and on the river soon,

Kent.

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