Our President's AGM 2018 Address

Grand Reopening, September 16, 2017.                                                      Photo: C. Lippert

Dear Members, Staff, Volunteers, and Sponsors,

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Secrets of Radar Museum I extend warm greetings to you all. It is with deep and sincere gratitude that I thank you for your ongoing commitment to keep the museum and the incredible story it tells alive. Since taking over from past president Mr. Peter Garland, I have learned a lot about the very slim margin upon which we stake our existence. I have learned that through sheer will and determination we can persevere and continue to tell our story. The going can be very tough for a small museum, but I have seen camaraderie, collaboration, cooperation, generosity, patience and understanding from all of you. For that I am grateful. We could not exist without all of those positive attributes which you have shown us in spades.

The 2017-2018 Fiscal Year saw us faced with the loss of our home and the Herculean task of moving an entire museum. Though the generous support and volunteerism of members of The 427 Wing of the Royal Canadian Airforce Association and the London Amateur Radio Club, we were able to move into our new location. We are looking forward to building on the synergy of being in an aviation district with several like-minded museums and groups. Early signs are promising as our number of visitors has increased in the first months of 2018 over last year.

Through financial support from the London Heritage Council we received funding to develop a new strategic plan. The Board of Directors put in the overtime needed throughout the longest and coldest winter in recent memory to collaborate and set a path forward that will see the museum continue to develop, modernize, focus, and become more accessible. Our hope is to find others who share in our vision who can make contributions as museum members, board members, and sponsors to help us achieve our short and long-term goals.

Together we have survived a very challenging year and it is my pleasure to continue to work with you and for you toward a brighter future.

Sincerely,

Corbin Lippert, President

Radar Resolutions

Image borrowed from this site, which has nothing at all to do with radar.

The year is drawing to a close and, as is traditional in Canadian society, we look to the future with an eye for betterment, improvement, enjoyment, hopes, and wishes.  Museums tend more toward vision statements, strategic planning documents, and exhibition plans rather than New Year Resolutions, but there's a nice informality to resolutions, and if you fail in achieving them, you don't lose your funding.

So, for the sake of the season, here are our Resolutions for the betterment of the museum.  In 2013:

1. We resolve to be a more engaging museum, be it through our exhibits, our research amenities, or through social media.
   
2. We resolve to make sure we give all facets of our Mandate equal weight.
3. We resolve to become the best known "secret" in London so that we're secret in name only!
4. We resolve to build excitement through new approaches to our subject matter.

Do you think we can do it?  It may not be easy, but we're confident.  With plans in the works to refurbish old displays and to create new content, and with ideas for building both partnerships and audiences, we think this is going to be a pretty exciting year.  As 2012 wraps up, we're anticipating that the energy and interest we've been building through the fall will take us to some fantastic new places. 

As a final thought, we'd like to take a moment to thank our volunteers for their hard work.  Norman Warnick and Roy Taylor are two of our wonderful volunteer tour guides.  Norman loves history and telling stories, bringing enthusiasm to all his tours.  Roy has been with the museum since the very beginning and is a WW2 Radar veteran able to share his own real life experiences.  Lawrence Petch has recently retired from volunteering, but his love of history and research have helped make our story that much stronger.  Thanks, Lawrence!  New volunteers Liz Myers (with her huge personality and love of organisation) and Bill Hilton (he's the guy who 'makes things go' for live demos) are happy additions to the Radar family.  Welcome!

We wish you a very safe and happy New Year's Eve and all the best for the coming year.  See you in the future!