May 2024 Newsletter
Hello everyone, and welcome to Spring 2024!
It's a time of rebirth and renewal, but as anyone who has ever had a garden or yard knows, it's also a time of keeping up with new growth and seemingly endless maintenance. For myself, such times can be overwhelming, as you juggle tasks and feel you are falling further behind. I like to get inspired by art and nature when that happens, and a hike or bike ride can do wonders for your energy level.
It's a busy time for preservationists as well. Spring is typically when you kick off big projects and get out of the office to visit job sites more regularly. Making time to do all of these things is a challenge, and it's tempting to want to hunker down and focus on the next task, but I find the engagement and encouragement of my peers to be a source of stimulation and support.
At APT-DVC, we are here to help! We have organized events and programming to kick start both your intellectual and social engines. This year's plans include our biennial symposium (with our partners at Timber Framers Guild), hosted next weekend in Lancaster, PA. Can't find time for the whole weekend? No worries, we have a one day registration option now open here.
We had 2 terrific webinars from Divay Gupta and Kevin Daly recently, on timber building repairs in Nepal and India and protective glazing at the Cloisters, respectively. These were very well received, high quality events. Missed them? No problem, APT-DVC has recorded versions available to members on our website.
And since it's spring, we decided to do some spring cleaning....of our bylaws! Some of you may have seen the recently distributed new and (hopefully) improved version of our bylaws, which have been presented to membership for review and adoption. This exercise was a time consuming effort to better align our operating procedures with our parent organization, and to reflect current practices more accurately. Please vote on the new bylaws by May 10!
In July, we are hosting the first of a traveling workshop on materials testing and its role in preservation, with our friends at APT International. Registration for this two-day event will be open soon, and we hope to see you there.
Finally, we will be sharing more information on upcoming events like our 40th Anniversary celebration this fall, and the Cement Age/Concrete Nation symposium at Penn's Weitzman School in October, which APT-DVC is helping to support, and other social and networking opportunities throughout the year. Stay tuned to learn more as these events come into focus.
Thanks to all on the Board and our committees for helping to make all of these opportunities available. A list of our current committees is available on our website. Please reach out if you want to get involved! There are many opportunities for our members to participate in the planning and successful outcome of APT-DVC’s events and programming for 2024.
Chuck DiSanto, Chair