NH Boat Museum Honors Volunteer

PHOTO: Hank Allison (left) steers the NH Boat Museum’s Millie B, a 28-foot, mahogany, triple cockpit “woody” and replica 1928 Hacker-Craft.

WOLFEBORO – Starting out as a volunteer for the Vintage Race Boat Regatta several years ago, summer resident Brian Allison received the Hank Why Volunteer Award for his service to New Hampshire Boat Museum (NHBM) in 2020.
“We love Lake Winnipesaukee and boating, so it has turned out to be a natural fit,” said Allison, who NHBM Executive Director Martha Cummings said was instrumental in their 2020 virtual boat auction.
“Brian helped us present a really incredible virtual auction that exceeded all our goals,” she said. “We raised just over $40,000, which was a big and totally unexpected number in a challenging year…We appreciate the many selfless hours Brian put in and were excited to award him with this recognition as a volunteer who goes above and beyond.”
A hardware/software engineer who retired in 2018, Allison’s involvement at NHBM also includes a stint as driver of NHBM’s Millie B, a 28-foot, mahogany, triple cockpit “woody” and replica 1928 Hacker-Craft.
“It’s great fun to get to drive a cool boat around the lake and have someone else pay for the gas,” he laughed. “It’s fun showing visitors around the lake, too.”
Allison is joined by wife Cheryl and daughter Rhiannon, both of whom have worked as a dock attendant for the Millie B since 2017.
“Rhiannon also works the front desk at the museum and started medical school this year,” added Allison, who said Cheryl has helped organize the auction for the past 4 years, too.
A resident of Mont Vernon, NH in the winter, Allison said they live on Barndoor Island in the summers from May through October.
“It’s a perfect lifestyle for me,” he said. “I like the quiet of the island, but it’s also great to be a 10-minute boat ride to Wolfeboro. It’s hard to beat living on a beautiful lake with the real possibility in May and Sep/Oct of spending a whole week on Barndoor Island without seeing another person.”
Founded in 1992 by antique and classic boating enthusiasts, NHBM is committed to inspire people of all ages with an understanding of, and appreciation for, the boating heritage of New Hampshire’s fresh waterways.
To learn more about NHBM, or its Capital Campaign, visit nhbm.org.