Minutes – Friends meeting of September 21, 2023
Thank you to the 40 people who attended the first meeting after the summer break! It was great to see everyone again, plus a number of new faces. Attendees were treated to an excellent presentation by Dawn Reynoso, the Park Interpreter for the new Ice Age Fossil Park which will open in North Las Vegas in December of this year. Dawn, who has been involved in the park development for five years, reviewed:
- The timeline for developing the park from initial idea to the present
- The external design of the facility and the park
- The design of the Visitors Center and the items within it
- All the challenges of creating a new state park.
It was an excellent presentation and gave everyone a better understanding of park development and of the Visitor Center sights, hiking paths, and other activities of this new park. Thank you Dawn!
Other business activities of the Friends were:
- The July minutes were approved.
- Friends finances were reviewed:
- Savings Account = $5,006
- Checking Account = $40,054
- The painting of the Las Vegas Valley area during the Ice Age purchased by the friends and donated to the museum is now in possession of the museum. It will be displayed in the front hall as a new acquisition.
- On October 27, Nevada Day, the Friends will be hosting a table in the Springs Preserve for the day (10am-4pm). To staff the table, we need six volunteers to serve 2-hour shifts. If you are interested in helping out, please contact Jim Parish at jimparish72@gmail.com.
- On November 2, the Friends will work with the Museum to sponsor a showing of the movie “Coco”. The Friends donated $400 to license the film and $75 for concessions.
- The Board voted to spend $75 to provide Disaster Emergency training for the staff.
- The Board voted to purchase a $200 memorial brick in the Old Mormon Fort’s memorial walkway. The brick is now installed for all to see.
- Our summer campaign was to raise $9 750 to purchase an early Rio Grande blanket (1840’s-60’s) to be donated to the museum for the Spanish Trails exhibition opening on January 26, and for the permanent exhibition after that. We extended the campaign by three weeks (to September 21), because of the low response during the original 3 weeks of the campaign. The final total for the campaign was $6,085. The board recommended covering the difference of $3,665 from our general fund.
- The membership moved and unanimously approved the motion to spend $3,665 from our general fund to cover costs above the donated amount.
- After the vote, another $500 was donated, reducing the amount from the general fund to $3,165.
- We will again be holding a silent online auction this November. The Board is in the process of soliciting donors. Anyone who knows of a business or other organization that would be willing to donate please contact Donna at donnaharper1226@gmail.com.
- Future speakers will be:
- October: Garrett Wake from the Nevada Division of Minerals
- November: Fred Woods, BYU professor speaking on the Latter Day Saints of Las Vegas
The meeting was adjourned at 3:30 pm.
Friends of Nevada State Museum Las Vegas and all other family, friends, and visitors come join us for our first meeting after the summer break!
Original Post
WHEN: September 21, 2023, starting at 2:30 PM and ending at 3:320 PM. Doors open at 2 PM.
WHERE: Main Hall of the Nevada State Museum; 309 S. Valley View Blvd, Las Vegas, Nevada 89107
WHO: Anyone – members, friends, family neighbors, visitors – any age – EVERYONE is invited!
COST: Nothing! Free attendance to all.
Our guest speaker for the meeting will be Dawn Reynoso, Park Interpreter for the new Ice Age Fossils State Park that will open soon. Dawn will guide us through some of the history of the park and the Tule Springs fossil beds. She will also share what to expect when the park opens and give us a peek at what it takes to build a new State Park. The picture above is of the visitor center.
if you’re nor familiar with the park’s location, it is located on North Decatur Avenue, past the DMV location and almost to the gun club. You can’t miss the huge mammoth in front of the visitor’s center. Many of you are familiar with Tule Springs and the role it plays in local history. The park has been a long time coming, so I’m sure many of us are excited that the opening is getting close.
Dawn will be presenting first time information on a new State Park in our area – it will be informative and interesting. JOIN US! EVERYONE!
The scarf sale has been postponed until October.