Dear fellow members of WCG,
This was supposed to be my August letter but here I am, a bit late. I reread the letter I sent out to you at the start of the last season. So much was up in the air but we were excited about the move to virtual meetings and the advantages those would bring.
We are starting the 2021/2022 season and, considering the continuing pandemic, the Board has made the decision to stick with virtual meetings for now with a few exceptions. We are tentatively planning to be in person for our December meeting, which has traditionally also been our holiday party. Here’s hoping we can actually celebrate together this year!
The 3-Ring Circus is scheduled to take place back in the Ripley Center in January. Our popular Emerging Professionals Talk will be in-person in March at the spectacular 3M Center in downtown DC. And we would love to have our May Business Meeting and Raffle live again. We are looking for a beautiful space with gardens so we can enjoy the spring weather. Keep checking our website for the latest on our meeting schedule.
We are lining up speakers for the year but there are still opportunities for members to share their latest research or projects. Send us an email!
We also have opportunities for volunteers this year. Our IDEA Action Committee is now recruiting. If you are interested in contributing to the ongoing effort to promote diversity in our field, especially at a local level, this is the place. On an administrative note, WCG is also looking for folks to help with our effort to update and revise our by-laws, handbook and forms. Anyone out there who thrills to the idea of sifting through regulations and legalese? Please join me! I promise to make the virtual meetings brief and the work light.
I hope you will join us for our October 7th Meeting when we will be hearing from Caitlin Smith. Caitlin has been performing treatment on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetery, a treatment made more complicated by the expectations of multiple stakeholders.
If you are working with any emerging professionals in your lab, or are an emerging professional yourself, please apply for the Williston Fund Award. The letter will go out soon. And consider donating to the Williston Fund itself. This fund directly supports our Emerging Professionals Committee, providing enrichment opportunities to our area interns, fellows and new conservators. You can find the donate link on our website.
Don’t forget to renew your membership and encourage your coworkers to do so as well. Hope to see you in October!
Jayne
President, Washington Conservation Guild
