The Dorchester Skipjack Committee recently was honored by the Heart of Chesapeake Country Heritage Area (HCCHA) with its 2012 Outstanding Project Award in recognition of the 2011 Choptank Heritage Skipjack Race.
The all-volunteer nonprofit organization, which owns and operates the skipjack Nathan of Dorchester, last year assumed responsibility for the coordination of the race and made a commitment to keeping it alive and building it as a significant community event. Augmenting the race itself last year were activities at Long Wharf during the race and a Captains and Crew Reception the prior evening, incorporating it into a full weekend of other community events.
In presenting the award to Lou Hyman, Secretary and Race Chairman for the Dorchester Skipjack Committee, HCCHA Management Board Member Tom Bradshaw recalled earlier days when the Cambridge harbor was full of skipjacks. He commended the organization’s volunteers for staging an exceptional event and helping to keep the area’s maritime heritage alive.
Hyman thanked HCCHA and the Maryland Heritage Area Authority for its support, a grant from which helped the organization promote awareness of the event and build the additional activities around it. He noted that he expects this year’s event to be bigger and better, with the hope that it will help enhance tourism for Cambridge.
At the presentation, the Skipjack Committee also received citations from Sen. Richard Colburn, Del. Addie Eckardt, and representatives of Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara Mikulski.
The 2012 Choptank Heritage Skipjack Race will be held on Saturday, September 22, in Cambridge. The Committee welcomes the participation of additional donors and sponsors.
For more information or to support the 2012 Choptank Heritage Skipjack Race, contact the Dorchester Skipjack Committee at 410-228-7141 or visit the Nathan of Dorchester website, www.skipjack-nathan.org.
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