submitted by LARRY OBERLY
The report of the activities of the museum is given for the time period of Dec. 1, 2018, through Nov. 30, 2019. The Museum Trust met on Dec. 2, 2019 to review this report and conduct other matters of business as needed.
Edward Pany, Museum Curator, reported on the attendance for the previous twelve months as follows:
Tours and public visitations/programs: 639 persons
Educational programs for school children: 2765 students and teachers
Total contacts: 3404
The museum staff had the opportunity to provide programming assistance to eight civic and/or historical organizations in 2019.
Mr. Pany has led the process of preserving our cement heritage not only in our schools but also in the community, through programs conducted both at and away from the museum. Both he and Mr. Oberly have provided program assistance to our civic organizations uplifting the cement plants that have provided the life blood of economic activity for the region for more than 100 years.
The museum hosted many leaders and employees throughout the year, with many coming from foreign lands and work in companies that still operate here and across the globe. All of our guests expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to visit a fine museum dedicated to their area of expertise.
Numerous photos of the industry have been added to the collection over the past year.
It must be noted that all of the remaining operating Cement Companies of the Lehigh Valley have supported the museum financially this year. They include; Keystone Elimentia, Lehigh Heidelberg, Buzzi Unicem, and LafargeHolcim. This is very meaningful to the Trust. They are to be commended for their support, which allows us to continue to operate as a free /no-cost facility to everyone. Each also works with a learning team at the Northampton Area Middle School alongside the museum in special program support. The students and teachers have received them warmly and the relationship continues to connect them to their konkrete kids roots.
The museum continues to honor a cement worker of the month and honored nine such workers from five plants in 2019. They receive a photo and biography that appears in The Home News, The Northampton Press, The Whitehall Press and The Catasauqua Press. In addition, each worker selected receives a framed copy of the article and a plaque. Our 2019 honorees were:
Michael Flint, Lehigh Heidelberg Evansville
Barry Schlosser, LafargeHolcim Whitehall
Stuart Guinther, Keystone Bath
Phillip Retter, Lehigh Heidelberg Nazareth
Jim Berger, Lehigh Heidelberg Evansville
Gary Butko, LafargeHolcim Whitehall
Michael Haberle, Lehigh Heidelberg Nazareth
Judy Fiori, Keystone Bath
Bruce Keim, Buzzi Unicem Stockertown
This year we have hosted visitors from four foreign countries: Germany, Brazil, Italy, and Indonesia. Closer to home in the United States, visitors came to us from 12 states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, including: New Jersey, Maryland, Texas, Delaware, North Carolina, South Carolina, Indiana, Tennessee, Missouri, California, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania.
We acknowledge the support of Northampton County through our grants from the Hotel Tax Program. This year saw the implementation of a joint effort to publicize the museum with other Borough organizations and events, and we continue to be found in the publications “Discover Lehigh Valley.”
We would like to thank the Borough Council, Borough Manager and all the Borough employees for their support and cooperation in keeping this a first class museum for our community.
Respectfully for the Trustees
Larry Oberly, Sec
ACCMM Trust
Next meeting of the Trust will be Dec. 7, 2020 at 7 p.m.
