Fall 2016 Newsletter
Letter from the President
In This Issue
Happy summer to all of you, our valued members. I hope you are enjoying the beautifully warm days and cool, clear evenings that make summer life so amazing in the upper Midwest.
Take Me Home Huey is here!. . . 2
As the seasons bring with them such distinct changes here in southwest Michigan, I reflect on all of the significant changes going on here at the Air Zoo over the past three months. The POPnology exhibit is in full-swing and I am blown away with how so many people are realizing deep, meaningful connections between their lives and the artifacts and interactive activities in this awesome exhibit. Also, I would not have imagined three months ago that we would receive another WWII aircraft pulled out of Lake Michigan. Sure enough, the U.S. Navy awarded us an SBD on restoration loan that crashed in 1944 and was on the bottom of the lake for 65 years. We welcomed that SBD 2173 aircraft on July 1st, and it has now joined the FM-2 Wildcat in our Restoration Center, ready to be restored to its former glory over the next five years. Additionally, two nephews of Lt. John Lendo, the last pilot of the SBD 2173, contacted the Air Zoo and will help us restore the story of their heroic uncle, who died only ten months after the SBD crash while in an air battle over the Philippines. Oh, and I must mention that Air Zoo summer camps have been crazy fun (sometimes as much for staff as for the campers!!) and the open cockpit flights have been very popular during this hot, dry summer for many Air Zoo visitors.
Membership: New Pricing. . . . . . 4
Education: Science Update. . . . . 3 Education: Choc Leaves Exp. . . . 3 Education: This Month in History.3 Membership: Appreciation Wk. . 4 Advancement: Scholarship Fund.4 Advancement: Impacting Comm.5 East Campus: Welcome Kirsten. . 6
As for next season, one thing I can say is that we will be introducing three new permanent interactive exhibits: a series of large foam building blocks for our pre-school guests; about 20,000 wooden blocks for people of all ages to build giant structures using only friction and gravity; and a series of hands-on stations that teach some of the fundamentals of flight, including Bernoulli’s Principle, lift and drag. Like the seasons, the Air Zoo is constantly changing in order to give YOU the best experience possible.
Ad Astra!
Troy A. Thrash President and CEO
East Campus: Welcome Rodolfo.6 East Campus: SBD 2173. . . . . . . 6 Collections: Intern Introduction. . . 7 Collections: Artifact Highlight. . . . 7 Fly Buy Store: Free Giraffe! . . . . . 8
Contact Air Zoo 6151 Portage Road Portage, MI 49002 269.382.6555 866.524.7966 (toll free) Membership. . . . . . . . . 350.2815 Monetary Donations . . 350.2812 Fly Buy Museum Store. . 350.2828 Hours of Operation: Mon - Sat: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sun: Noon to 5 p.m. Online: For more information or to shop online visit www.airzoo.org. www.facebook.com/AirZoo FOLLOW US!
Take Me Home Huey at Air Zoo
Multi-media art project, Take Me Home Huey by Steve Maloney, was created from the remains of a Huey helicopter – #174 – which was shot down while on a medical rescue in Vietnam in 1969, and eventually made its way to an Arizona military aircraft boneyard. Artist Maloney partnered with Light Horse Legacy (LHL), a Peoria-based nonprofit and USA Vietnam War Commemorative Partner focused on supporting veterans with PTSD. The group acquired, re-skinned, restored and delivered the aircraft to the artist to transform into art for healing. Dave Barron, LHL’s founder, researched the history of this particular Huey and reunited surviving soldiers and families connected to the aircraft. Beyond the sculpture, the Take Me Home Huey project includes a commissioned song, website, and a documentary film. Though he now makes his home in Rancho Santa Fe, California, Steve Maloney was born and raised in Kalamazoo. He served in the Michigan Army National Guard during the Vietnam era, from 1963-1969. His unit was not called, but he feels a strong connection to those who served bravely. There will be a meet and greet with Steve Maloney on August 20th at East Campus, all are encouraged to attend, meet the artist, and support this great work. Take Me Home Huey will be on exhibit at East Campus until October 1st, 2016.
SCIENCE UPDATE Why eat nasty things? Because your enemy finds it even nastier.
Experiment: Chocolate Leaves Materials you will need:
Paraphrased from “Sunflower pollen protects bees from parasites” by University of Chicago Press Journals, June 14, 2016
• Bowl • Saucepan • Chocolate • Pot Holder • Rose Leaves • Clean Paintbrush
Many bee species collect pollen exclusively from plants in the sunflower family (the family that includes dandelions, daisies, and thistles), despite the fact that these pollens are known to have some unpleasant qualities. In fact, bees fed only sunflower pollen often develop more slowly and more poorly than bees fed on other pollens. Research by Dakota Spear and colleagues may have found out why bees have developed a taste for the “nasty” pollens of the sunflower family.
1. Gather a few rose leaves 2. Wash the leaves and dry them carefully. 3. Ask an adult to pour the hot water into the pan. 4. Carefully place the bowl inside the pan (make sure that the water does not get in the bowl). 5. Place some of the chocolate in the bowl (the heat from the water will melt the chocolate; it turns into a thick liquid). 6. Have an adult remove the bowl of chocolate from the pan (with the pot holder) and place it on the table. 7. Paint chocolate onto the top of the leaves using the paintbrush.
Steps
McGill University undergraduate Sarah Silverman and University of Ottawa professor Jessica Forrest, doing summer research on solitary mason bees at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL) in Colorado, noticed that bee species that eat sunflower pollen were not attacked by a common parasitic wasp, Sapyga. The wasp frequently lays eggs in the nests of other mason bee species, where its larvae kill bee eggs and eat their pollen stores. Silverman and Forrest hypothesized that the wasp larvae might not be able to thrive on the pollen of the sunflower family.
This Month in History July 5th, 1996 - Cloning Dolly the sheep
The following summer, Spear, then an undergraduate at Pomona College doing a research internship at RMBL, took over the research. To test the hypothesis, she forced wasp larvae to feed on different types of pollen, including those of sunflower family, and monitored their development and survival. As suspected, wasp survival was much lower on the sunflower pollens. The authors conclude that many bee species have evolved a specialization on sunflower pollen as protection from parasitic wasps. More generally, the results help explain why animals often evolve a taste for “nasty” foods.
Animal cloning from an adult cell is much more difficult than from an embryonic cell. So when scientists working at the Roslin Institute in Scotland produced Dolly, the only lamb born from 277 attempts, it was a major news story around the world.
Want to learn more about animals, including bugs? Check out three summer camps coming up in August: •Bugs Life: PreK – K, August 15–16 •Storybook Live!: PreK – K, August 17–19 •Animal Expedition: K – 2nd grade, August 15–19
When the chocolate starts to cool, it turns back into a solid and takes on the shape of the leaves. Peel away the real leaves to reveal the new chocolate leaves. Source: http://www.lovemyscience.com/chocolateleaves.html
Dolly the sheep, as the first mammal to be cloned from an adult cell, is by far the world’s most famous clone. Several clones had been produced in the lab before Dolly, including frogs, mice, and cows, which had all been cloned from the DNA from embryos. Dolly was remarkable in being the first mammal to be cloned from an adult cell. This was a major scientific achievement as it demonstrated that the DNA from adult cells, despite having specialized as one particular type of cell, can be used to create an entire organism.
Dolly lived a pampered existence at the Roslin Institute. She mated and produced normal offspring in the normal way, showing that such cloned animals can reproduce. Join the Air Zoo educators this summer for “Bug’s Life” Pre-K camp and “Animal Expedition” K-2nd grade camp as they explore the wonderful world of animals!
Membership Department: Member Update Tamra Stafford
Membership Manager
New Membership Rates Great news! We’ve lowered our membership rates! Effective June 1, 2016, we lowered our membership rates to become the following: Family
Membership Levels and Benefits
Individual
$40/ Year
Basic membership benefits.
Two Person
$70/ Year
Basic membership benefits.
$100/ Year
Basic membership benefits for a family consisting of two named adults and any children (18 years and under) living in the same household, ASTC Passport Program Benefits.
Air Zoo Basic Membership Benefits (Benefits included with all Air Zoo Membership Levels)
• Unlimited access to all rides, attractions, and permanent exhibits • Discounts on birthday parties and selected camps • Invitations to exhibit openings and other special events • Discounts on selected programs and exhibits
Grandparent
$120/ Year
Basic membership benefits for up to two named adults living in the same household, and all grandchildren (18 years and under) per visit, ASTC Passport Program Benefits.
• Exclusive Members-only events • Fly Buy Museum Store discount • Checkout privileges at the Air Zoo’s library • Membership E-Newsletter • Michigan Aviation Hall of Fame voting privileges • Member discount card
Caregiver Add-on
$25/ Yr
Add one named caregiver to any membership level.
Smithsonian Affiliate Membership Add-on
$16/ Yr
Add a Smithsonian Affiliate Membership to any membership level.
Smithsonian Affiliate Membership (Add to any Air Zoo Membership Level for $16 extra)
• A one-year subscription to Smithsonian Magazine (11 issues) or Air & Space Magazine (6 issues)
ASTC Passport Program
Visit a science center or museum—for free! Membership Level of Family and Above. Join the savviest of science-loving families and adults and get free admission at science centers and museums worldwide. Become a Family or Grandparent Member of the Air Zoo. Then check the ASTC Passport Program list to find other participating museums — now more than 300 in over a dozen countries. The program doesn’t apply to ASTC science centers or museums within a 90-mile radius of the Air Zoo. To get free admission at an out-of-town science center or museum, you’ll need to bring your Air Zoo membership card.
• 10% discount off all purchases from the Smithsonian catalog and Smithsonianstore.com • Travel opportunities with Smithsonian Journeys • Free admission to the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum in NYC • 10% discount at Folkways Recordings • Discounts on shopping and dining at the Smithsonian • Access to Members-only website
If you renewed your membership in the months of April, May or June, we will be adjusting your expiration dates to compensate for the lower rates as follows: Family Membership - three months added to your current expiration date Individual, Two Person, and Grandparent Membership - one month added to your current expiration date
Member Appreciation Week – Please come and enjoy some great member benefits during the week of August 21st.
Advancement Department: Science Inspiration Scholarship Fund Maria Newhouse
Development Associate Did you know that the Science Inspiration Fund, which was established in 2014 with the support of individual donors and private foundations, has funded admission and programming fees for over 1,500 youth this year alone – and 2016 is far from over! With your support, we will continue breaking down the economic barriers that greatly inhibit many schools, community organizations, youth service agencies, and individual students from taking an active part in Air Zoo educational programming. Through an accessible application and selection process, the SIF allows schools, community groups and families with significant economic need to experience the Air Zoo through either: a.) a field trip experience, which includes a hands-on, interactive science education lesson along with everything our exhibit floor has to offer, b.) hands-on, inquiry-based science outreach programs offered as a series of visits or one-time events in their schools or learning facility, or c.) a seasonal Air Zoo science camp program. Since its inception, requests for scholarships support through the Science Inspiration Scholarship Fund have increased substantially and we are nearly out of funding to provide support to students and schools for this year. That is where you can help – please consider making a donation to the Science Inspiration Fund today so we can continue to positively impact youth in our community who might not otherwise have the opportunity to experience all that the Air Zoo has to offer! Learn more today: http://bit.ly/2aNiLll
Advancement Department: Air Zoo: Impacting Our Community Maria Suszynski
Director of Advancement Dear Air Zoo Members, Your generous financial support of the Air Zoo has allowed us to do wonderful work. We are incredibly grateful to you! I’d like to share with you some shout-outs to those who support the Air Zoo in an equally meaningful way. Our Air Zoo volunteers help advance and grow the organization in very important ways – ways that allow us to operate efficiently and with a much greater impact. In 2015, 151 volunteers contributed 31,536 hours of service to the Air Zoo. That’s a collective in-kind contribution valued at $727,535! We couldn’t possibly keep our doors open without the significant contribution of these passionately dedicated individuals. Whether they are greeting people at the lobby entrance, giving a guided tour, or restoring an FM2 Wildcat airplane, our Air Zoo volunteers bring a wealth of experience and talent that is simply unmatchable. The Air Zoo attracts incredibly talented individuals from a diverse array of sectors: teachers, students, nurses, mechanics, financial experts, pilots, librarians, engineers, and veterans. This year, Air Zoo volunteer Chris Czarnik, a United States Air Force veteran and Western Michigan University student, earned the coveted 2016 STAR Award from Volunteer Kalamazoo after contributing 1,150 volunteer hours (in one year!). It’s clear that volunteers are changing the core economics of this 2016 STAR Award winner Chris Czarnik. organization for the better. More importantly, they are making a difference in the experience of our visitors and in the lives of the young people we work to inspire every day. This past year, the Air Zoo became the ninth organization in the State of Michigan to be awarded Service Enterprise Certification by the Points of Light Foundation. Service Enterprises are recognized as high-performing organizations that have deeply integrated volunteers into their strategic plan and organizational infrastructure. This distinguished honor is one we wear proudly and is one we want to celebrate with you! We recognize that not everyone has the ability to give of their time and talent. We hope that you will consider furthering the wonderful work of our volunteers through a financial gift to the Air Zoo. Your generous donation and continued support to the Annual Fund will deepen the impact of the work taking place in our S.T.E.A.M. education classes and camps, in our WWII plane restoration projects, in the maintenance of our unique and fascinating collection, and in our special exhibitions and events.
With your help, more work will be done, more lives will be changed, and more dreams will come true. Please consider a gift to the Air Zoo today.
EAST CAMPUS: Preservation Report WELCOMING KIRSTEN REID, AIR ZOO RESTORATION CENTER INTERN! Submitted by: Greg Ward, Senior Conservator An Air Zoo success story, Kirsten graduated from Pennfield High School, located in Battle Creek, MI. She also attended Battle Creek Area Math & Science Center during grades 9 – 12. Kirsten became passionate about a career in aviation after attending a Summer Aircraft Restoration Camp here at the Air Zoo! She’s registered to attend University of Michigan this fall, focusing her studies in the area of Aerospace Engineering.
Intern Kirsten Reid maintains a firm grip as she tries her hand at power washing the B-57 Intruder.
Kirsten is currently assisting with the paint restoration of the B-57 Intruder, and assisting in the woodshop helping to build exhibits. Her goal is to join respective teams working on the Lake Michigan recovered FM-2 Wildcat, and Douglas Dauntless SBD-2P.
Wasting no time whatsoever, Intern Kirsten Reid joined right in moving several million dollars worth of vintage jets on her first day! From Left to Right: Volunteer Dick Peterson, Senior Conservator Greg Ward, Intern Kirsten Reid, and volunteers Carl Cummings and Richard Klass.
WELCOMING RODOLFO VALENTIN, AIR ZOO RESTORATION CENTER INTERN! Submitted by: Greg Ward, Senior Conservator Western Michigan University student Rodolfo Valentin came to the USA on June 29th, 2015 through the Brazilian Mobility Program, from his home land of Brazil. He majored in Aircraft Maintenance technology while here, and plans to graduate after he returns home. Rodolfo heard great things about the Air Zoo so without delay, he applied to serve his internship here in our restoration department. Some projects he has worked on include the new POPnology exhibit, B-57 Intruder, the Lake Michigan recovered FM-2 Wildcat and Douglas Dauntless SBD-2P. He also assisted Volunteer Carl Cummings with the construction of a Lego Competition Table, which will be used in the Air Zoo Summer Camp entitled “Advanced Lego Robotics.”
WMU Intern Rodolfo Valentin helps wash the surface of the B-57 Intruder in preparation for its 2nd coat of paint. Official U.S. Air Force Artwork is next.
ARRIVAL DOUGLAS DAUNTLESS SBD DIVE-BOMBER #2173 Submitted by: Greg Ward, Senior Conservator On July 1st, 2016 a semi-truck from Pensacola, FL arrived in front of the Air Zoo’s Main Campus Facility for a press conference carrying the Air Zoo’s newest restoration project: Douglas Dauntless SBD #2173. Speakers included Director of the US Naval History and Heritage Command Admiral Samuel Cox; Boeing Military Aircraft Vice President of F/A-18 and EA-18 Programs Dan Gillian; City of Portage Mayor Peter Strazdas; A and T Recovery Founder Taras Lyssenko; and Air Zoo President & CEO Troy Thrash. Around noon, the airplane was relocated to the Air Zoo’s East Campus Restoration Facility for off loading by McDonald’s Towing. A luncheon was provided by Millennium Restaurant Group.
CONSULT THE CONSERVATOR – Technical questions? Please feel free to email Greg Ward, Senior Conservator of Aircraft & Space Artifacts - gward@airzoo.org
Collections Department: Introducing our Summer Interns! Christy Kincaid
Collections Registrar The Collections department is booming with interns, we are VERY excited to introduce our newest round! Uella Rodriguez is a student at the University of Indianapolis majoring in History and minoring in Anthropology and Art History. Uella hopes to pursue her interests in culture and history by making a career in museums after she graduates. Travel, reading, and photography are a few of Uella’s hobbies. Rebecca Stoddard is a senior at Western Michigan University majoring in Anthropology with a minor in Public History. Museums have always held a special place in Rebecca’s heart and she is grateful to gain experience here at the Air Zoo. After graduating Rebecca plans to work in the field of archaeology, with the hopes of moving eventually into museum work.
L to R: Uella, Rebecca, Alicia, and Kyle.
Alicia Risk is a senior at Western Michigan University majoring in Theatre Design and Technical Production. Alicia is interested in 18th century fashion and costume history, and plans to attend the Public History master’s program at Western Michigan University next year. Alicia loves interning at the Air Zoo, and is excited to stay here through the summer. Jesse Novencido is currently attending Kalamazoo Valley Community College and will be transferring to Western Michigan University Fall 2016. Jesse will be working at Western Michigan University toward completing a Secondary Education in History bachelor’s degree . Much of Jesse’s interests involve history prior to World War I, and he loves learning new things every day. Jesse enjoys spending free time with his fiancé and two dogs. Kyle Bendix is a 2016 graduate of Indiana University Bloomington majoring in History with a primary focus in United States history and a Minor in Educational Studies. Kyle is also alumnus of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity who resides in Michigan City, Indiana making an hour commute to intern at the Air Zoo. Kyle have two passions in life: history and aviation. This internship has combined his two biggest interests creating an experience that will further his career and life-long memories.
Artifact of the Quarter Laurie Burkhardt
Collections Registrar This Red Cross uniform was once worn by Michigan native Luella Shrank, who volunteered proudly for the Motor Corps after WWII at Percy Jones Military Hospital in Battle Creek, Michigan. The Red Cross developed the Motor Service during WWI. Mostly consisting of women, the service supported military hospitals, canteens, and camps by transporting people and supplies. By the end of WWI, 12,000+ corps volunteers clocked 3.5 million miles on American roads. Fast forward to the WWII Motor Corps, consisting once again of mostly women were in charge of transporting the sick, wounded, supplies and fellow volunteers over 61 million miles. Luella, an independent, strong, and outgoing woman, chose to volunteer her time to the wounded men of WWII at Percy Jones Hospital. While she had zero medical training, she contributed to patients’ needs in multiple ways. Luella used her own car to take patients out of the hospital to do other activities, such as shopping. Her goal was to make people feel better. Luella was a friendly ear to many, often listening to her patients’ stories and being amazed at their positive outlooks on life after the war. Luella lived to an incredible age of 103 years of age (1910 - 2013), passing away of natural causes.
Fly Buy Store:
Enter Today!
Air Zoo Members: Rare Giraffe FREE to Good Home! To Enter: Please email your name, phone number, and why you have always wanted a pet giraffe (25 words or less) to MeMartin@AirZoo.org.
Winner will be drawn on 09/06/16.