A Message from the President

July 2020

Dear friends,

“Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!”  Viruses and protests and hurricanes, oh my!  I don’t quite know where we are, but I’m pretty sure we’re not in Kansas anymore.  In this strange new world, the Venice Area Historical Society is carefully threading its way forward, one small step at a time.

Tried and true practices have changed into things of the past, activities and volunteer work have disappeared, and socialization has become a bad thing.  New words and terms appear every day . . . social distancing, virtual meetings, virtual learning, Zoom, Skype, FaceTime.  Get a test, wear a face covering, take to the streets with a sign, and don’t forget to stock up on bottled water, batteries, and plenty of canned tuna.

Not all these things are bad . . . just different.  And we can’t quite shake the fact that life will never be exactly as it was before.  The old adage of the glass of water comes to mind.  Is it half empty, or is it half full?  Shall we hang the crepe and cry because our glass is half empty, or shall we put on a brave smile and say, I think the glass is half full?  And if it is half full, what can I do to fill it all the way up?  Hopefully, we will take the positive approach, adjust the way we do things in a safe and sensible way, and make progress on all fronts.

Your Board and Committee Chairs are working behind the scenes via some of the new methods of communication and still using old reliable email, texting, and phone calls.  As you will see in the rest of the newsletter, plans are being made for the coming season, and some good things have happened.  We all have dealt with cancellations, disappointments, and changes in lifestyle in the past five months.  It is not what we wanted to do, but what we had to do to stay safe.  There may be more changes in the future, but we will continue to try and keep that glass filled to the brim.

In the meantime, stay safe and well.  Think of others who are much less fortunate; practice sharing, understanding, and tolerance.  Extend kindness to a friend, a neighbor, and a stranger.  Hopefully, we can soon say once more with joy, “Come, celebrate history with us!”

president@veniceareahistoricalsociety.org