Volunteers Making A Difference At The Wright Museum

PHOTO: Wright Museum board member Andy Mako clears some branches from the trail on Trotting Park Road in Wolfeboro.

WOLFEBORO -While visitors may be amazed at the expanded lobby and gallery space among several other improvements that took place this past winter, it is what they will not see that makes Wright Museum so unique.
“We have dozens of volunteers that work behind the scenes year-round to create an incredible experience for our visitors,” remarked Mike Culver, executive director. “Their involvement is numbered in thousands of hours each year. Their work makes The Wright what it is today.”
He cited the ongoing contributions of two volunteers, Andy Mako and Bob Theve, as one example.
“They have been working for months at the museum’s new Maintenance Facility on Trotting Track Rd.,” he said.
Purchased in January, the new property will be the future home of a storage and maintenance facility for the museum’s permanent collection of vintage WWII vehicles.

Culver said moving select vehicles off-campus will enable the museum to turn the current Center Street Wright garage into a WWII-styled ‘Motor Pool’ open to all visitors.
According to Mako, however, substantial work is required before this vision becomes reality.
“Bob has spent the past few months cleaning out the things the previous owner left behind,” he explained. “Some of the items have included furniture, machine parts, office materials and old paint and tools.”
Mako said their current plan is to focus on getting electricity back into the building.
“It was disconnected when the building became vacant four years ago,” he said. “In that time, a lot of trees grew in the path from the telephone pole to the building so we’re clearing the trees that were identified by Wolfeboro’s Municipal Electric Department as requiring removal.”
Other components of the project include additional electrical work, roof repair and replacement of an old culvert to provide access to the property.
“In the interim, one of the neighbors is allowing us to use their driveway,” added Mako.

Citing experience in a number of motor pool operations while in the Army, Theve said the project underscores his belief in the mission of The Wright.
“Being 84 years old, a good portion of my childhood was spent in the WWII period, and I am well aware of the sacrifices made by so many to give us the freedoms we enjoy today,” he said. “The Wright Museum does an excellent job in presenting this history of WWII, and I feel privileged to be part of it.”
A member of the Board of Directors since 2015 and serving more recently as Treasurer and chair of the Building Committee, which planned the recent renovations in the museum, Mako also cited a personal connection.
“My father served in WWII for 5 years so I think of him whenever I’m working at the museum,” he said. “I also have a lot of interest in WWII history, having read a lot about it and traveled to many of the sights where battles occurred in Europe.’
As for the project on Trotting Track Rd., Mako said its success will be measured in phases.

“The goal is to complete this initial work by the fall so we can begin to use the building for the storage and maintenance of our WWII vehicles before the winter,” he said.
He said a later stage, which will be dependent upon fund-raising, will include the addition of heat and water to the building and improvements to the property.
Expressing gratitude for their respective efforts, Culver said the focus now, however, is on a strong 2020 season.
“We are open and have more than 30,000 square feet of space, so visitors can feel comfortable exploring our exhibit and gallery spaces,” he said. “With folks like Bob and Andy and so many other terrific volunteers, I feel confident that The Wright can meet the cultural needs of locals and visitors alike during this time of unrest.”
The region’s leading resource for educators and learners of all ages on World War II, The Wright features more than 14,000 items in its collection that are representative of both the home front and battle field.
To learn more, visit wrightmuseum.org.