Theodore Roosevelt would have loved the raucous, fun-loving, intelligent, history-loving volunteers who serve at Sagamore Hill National Historic Park (SHNHP), many of them, for decades. That includes Adrian Bogart of Locust Valley, who was honored for his 4,000 volunteer hours, running to catch up to Mike Vezzi of Mineola with 5,000 hours. The annual volunteer awards night was hosted by the Oyster Bay Historical Society at the Koenig Center on May 14. OBHS executive director Phil Blocklyn is on the Friends of Sagamore Hill board; his wife Jacqueline volunteers at the Hill and takes care of the garden at the entrance to the site. She received a Red Bandana award for her work. The museum-room was a perfect venue with exhibit of glass art works from the LI Craft Society on view on the walls.
SHNHP Superintendent Kelly Fuhrmann said when he arrived at his post in 2014, he entered an empty house. Theodore Roosevelt’s Sagamore Hill home has been undergoing a $10 million rehabilitation that began in spring 2012. The three-year project of the home was a comprehensive interior and exterior rehabilitation of its architectural and structural elements, from its roof to the foundation.
Fuhrmann explained construction was going on and guys were running around using not so elegant language.
“But I saw things happening. I saw workmanship and dedication,” Fuhrmann said.
And, he saw the volunteers at work putting the thousands of books and historic objects back in place under the direction of Chief of Cultural Resources Amy Verone, who after 25 years is leaving the Hill. Fuhrmann said as the objects began moving into the house and he saw them being placed where they belong, he had a greater appreciation of what Sagamore Hill means.
“Now with 85 percent of the items here, I realize what a special place this is to the United States,” said Fuhrmann.
The next phase of the project is just beginning: that of showing the house to the public. It begins in earnest on July 13 when the house is opened to the public. [Tour fees will increase to $10 and reservations will be available online instead of in person.]
“The interest in Sagamore Hill will begin then. There is no way to imagine what will be happening,” said Furhmann.
Park Ranger Josh Reyes, volunteer coordinator, mentioned that currently visitation is less than 20,000 a year, down from 60,000, “but those numbers will be going on an upswing now.”
The evening was to thank the volunteers who have done so much to make the house ready to receive those expected guests. Much of the work in putting the house together after it was emptied for the restoration was done by the volunteers, according to Verone, who had prepared T-shirts for them saying “TR’s Move Crew,” with a sketch of TR in a Stetson hat, to proclaim their great work.
Verone announced recently that she will be retiring in October and returning to western Pennsylvania. This was the staff’s time to begin to congratulate her for a job well done.
“I have lived here for 24 years and six months,” she said.
Fuhrmann said Verone is the first person to receive the John A. Gable Award for Historic Excellence, at the suggestion of Milton Elis.
“It existed and was never given,” said Fuhrmann. “It could have, should have, for significantly telling the cultural story of the park. I am humbled to be giving it to Ms. Verone,” he said.
She was presented with a large sign used over the years at Sagamore Hill that he said she has hated.
“She will learn to love it and the staff will prepare it for her to hang or to put on a post as it was here,” he said.
Verone kept up the humor.
“I knew John Gable,” she said. “I was scared of John Gable. I appreciate getting the award named after him… I had hoped for one of the electric cars.”
“We couldn’t fit it in here,” was the reason given.
Another special award, the Patricia “Toby” Kennedy Award for Interpreter of the Year, went to Wendy Alba for her owl census work.
Giuseppe Abbondandolo was given an American flag that flew over Sagamore Hill that day, in honor of his graphic work on the Rough Writer, the volunteers’ newsletter.
Susan Sarna, Sagamore Hill museum curator, was presented with the Employee of the Year award for working tirelessly on the house over the past three years.
Fuhrmann said, “Take home this bull moose head, a handsome award for a job extremely well done.”
She accepted the bull moose award as she told a story of one day seeing a crack in the moose head on display at the house. She mentioned it to someone who commented, “That’s not a problem. Why do you care?” The next day, she said, “Kids were running around and I thought, ‘It does matter what we do. It’s for those kids. When it’s 90 degrees inside and I’m cleaning the moose of the detritus the wind blows in, I think of every child we educate, and for whatever you do here, we teach people. We have a reason. I have a reason. We do a teaching job.”
Milton Elis, editor of the Rough Writer received a double award, for his work at Sagamore Hill (a regional award) and a National Park Service award for helping the mission of the park service and for doing it for multiple years. Elis recently retired from his 12 years as chairman of the Volunteer Advisory Board. He will continue to edit the Rough Writer.
The final award for the evening was presented by Reyes, the Mary “Lady” Glenn Award for Volunteer of the Year, Lady Glenn volunteered as a receptionist at the Old Orchard Museum during the early 1990s. That award went to Ginny Perrell, who serves alongside her husband, Friends of Sagamore Hill Treasurer Jay Perrell.
Ginny said: “Oh my God, my first TR head. There is no place I’d rather be than at Sagamore Hill. It’s just the best.” Of the bust she said, “It’s heavy.”
Additionally, about a dozen volunteers were presented certificates in thanks for their numerous volunteer hours. The Red Bandana Award was given to seven volunteers suggested by the staff for various reasons.
They received a red neckerchief with cartoon TR characters on the borders, wrapped around wine bottles, except for James Carroll, the youngest recipient, who received sparkling apple juice.
