The NASGA community would like to express our sincere appreciation for our former president, Richard LaMotte, whose inspiration and determination have benefited the organization in many ways. Along with Charles Peden and a handful of other key sea glass enthusiasts, Richard was instrumental in the establishment of the association and has served tirelessly on the executive board of NASGA for many terms. The humble, accomplished author’s knowledge of sea glass, coupled with his professional experience and common-sense approach to budgeting have significantly contributed to the continued success of NASGA.
Richard LaMotte’s final President’s Letter
In 2015 the North American Sea Glass Association will begin its 10th year—now under new leadership. Terms have been completed by all the founding board members with the only one exception, our stalwart Lisa Hall of Maine. Please welcome Val Weston as our new president and continue to lend a hand whenever possible so we can keep NASGA moving forward.
The annual festival remains a primary task for the board and our members who wish to see it continue. At our first national sea glass festival in October of 2006, nobody knew what to expect. Only one board member had visited the site and when the rest of us drove into Santa Cruz we could only hope our efforts to promote the show, without funding, would allow us enough revenue to host future events. The attendance of just over 1,000 was barely enough to cover expenses, but the enthusiasm led us to try again and a similar attendance figure was achieved in 2007. Then we came east in 2008 and hosted the festival in Lewes that attracted over 4,000 visitors to the small Virden Center. Other venues were tried with variable results then two events in Virginia drew attendance figures of only 2,000 each. The decision to host the event in Cape May was not easy but the board was faced with limited options. That experiment left a bitter taste for masses who tried to enter on Saturday morning. The board looked hard at expanding that venue but in the end an ideal weekend at a larger venue recently opened up in Ocean City, Maryland. This is where the 2015 sea glass festival will be held on August 29-30. More space, plenty of on-site parking and nearby lodging options.
We regret that the Cape May venue was too small to accommodate the unexpected surplus of attendees. The facility at the Ocean City Convention Center will certainly be a more wide-open and welcoming experience for all.
Sincerely,
Richard
