Doreen Dun Doreen Dun, new president of the Boothbay Region Historical Society accepts the gavel from outgoing president Cathy Sherrill (right) at the society's 40th annual meeting May 15. (Photo Peggy Voight)

Doreen Dun was elected president of the Boothbay Region Historical Society at the society's 40th annual meeting, May 15. The new president, taking over from outgoing President Cathy Sherrill, has been a year-round resident of Ocean Point for the past five years after summering here since the early 1950s. She began volunteering at the historical society in 2001, and has served as a board member, secretary and vice president. She worked on the society's Acadia book, selecting photos and writing the section on summer colonies. She is also a board member of the Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library, trustee of UCC Congregational Church in Boothbay Harbor and a board member of the Boothbay Region Food Pantry. Dun continues to work as a consultant to the Ford Foundation in New York.

In accepting the gavel from Sherrill, Dun said she is "pleased, humbled and looking forward to continuing the work of this very special organization." She said that several events to mark the society's 40th anniversary are in the planning stages, and will be announced as plans are completed.

Also elected were Richard Hodgdon, vice president; Sally Bullard, secretary; and Sarah Giles, treasurer. Elected to three-year trustee terms were Bullard and Dorothy Gregory. Don Soler was elected to a one-year term. Re-elected to three-year terms were John Heyl, John McKown and Faith Meyer.

Cathy Sherrill, who will continue serving on the board, said her term as president "has been a pleasure." She outlined, with thanks to Director Barbara Rumsey, Jane Kaler, the society's first administrator, Laurie Green, the new administrator, and board members and volunteers, a past year that included: the winter series of talks on Seafaring Adventures, the successful Harbor Lights open house starring appraiser Richard Plunkett, the publication of "Boothbay Region Historical Sketches III," the fund raiser at the historic home of the Harry Leach family and the annual cheese sale, headed this year by Ronnie Spofford.

Bea Walker, a board member since 1974, past president, and now trustee emeritus, who was called on by Sherrill for some of her recollections of the society's past, said she wanted to pay tribute to Director Barbara Rumsey's 21 years with the society.

"She was like the answer to a prayer," Walker said of Rumsey's arrival at the society as a volunteer with an offer to do research. Shortly, Rumsey was voted onto the board, and later became paid director.

"Since then," Walker said, "Barbara has continued to be active and in effect has become the official town historian. We are pleased to recognize her," Walker said to applause from the audience. Other high points of the society's history were its move to its present location, the former home of historian Elizabeth Reed, and the reprinting in 1984, and a second reprinting in 1986 of Francis Byron Greene's "History of Boothbay, Southport and Boothbay Harbor, Maine." The society has since reprinted Greene's history once again.

Rumsey, recalling her years with the society, credited some of the early board members: Bea Walker, "who worked tirelessly to obtain the museum for the society;" Alden Stickney who introduced computers for record keeping and organized the photo collection; Cecil Pierce and Jim Stevens, founding trustees; Audrey Leighton, treasurer for more than 20 years; and John Heyl who did several stints as an officer, She also cited Marcia Wilson, who worked on cataloging and other volunteer projects. Membership, at 154 when she came on board, is now at 620, Rumsey reported, and the society was able to hire first, an administrative assistant, and later, when the job evolved, an administrator.

"I'd say we're in great shape, thanks to our current board, Laurie and our loyal members - some have been with us for 40 years." Rumsey concluded.

The meeting was topped off with a talk by BRHS trustee and author Roger Duncan who brought to life for the audience some past and recent history, the 1813 capture of the British brig Boxer by the USS Enterprise off the shores of Boothbay and the 1992 loss of the tug Harkness.

More information on the historical society is available on its Web site, www.boothbayhistorical.org .