Maritime history expert to address Friends of Cape Henlopen State Park Jan. 11
The Friends of Cape Henlopen State Park group will hold its annual meeting for 2014 starting at 9 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 11, at the Officer’s Club in the park. Friends President Edna Lemiska notes that this meeting is a perfect opportunity for people who are interested in the park to learn more about it, about the activities of the Friends, and about how they can participate. The FOCHSP 2014 Calendar of Events will also be available. Memberships for both old and new Friends will be available at the meeting, as well as the Friends' signature hats and shirts.
After 9 a.m. coffee and donuts, an update on activities in the park sponsored by the Friends and others comes at 9:30, followed by the election of new officers. At 10:30 a.m., Bill Manthorpe will present “A Century of Service: The U.S. Navy on Cape Henlopen 1898-1996.” The lecture focuses on the principal U.S. Navy installations that were on Cape Henlopen and illustrates what they looked like when they were operational. It describes the mission of the organizations, how they operated, and the daily life of the sailors. The presentation for the FOCHSP will especially provide illustrations of the Navy areas on the Cape then and now.
Manthorpe served 24 years as a naval intelligence officer, retiring as a captain. He served another 16 years as a senior civilian executive in the office of the Chief of Naval Operations, retiring as the deputy director of naval intelligence. Subsequently, he taught leadership and management in graduate programs at Johns Hopkins University and at the Joint Military Intelligence College. Since relocating full time to Rehoboth Beach, he has been researching, writing and speaking on Delaware’s maritime and naval history.
The Friends of Cape Henlopen State park is a nonprofit organization made up of volunteers who donate their time to promote one of the crown jewels of Delaware’s state parks. They are strongly committed to public education about the park and believe that education leads to appreciation, conservation, and preservation. In addition to their educational activities, Friends volunteers participate in a monthly Trails Day and a variety of other direct activities in the park.
Friends raise money for specific park projects such as the Bike Barn, restoration of the Hawk Watch, the playground and most recently an electric maintenance vehicle for the Maintenance Department. For more information about the Friends' current and past projects and for information about joining or volunteering, visit www.friendsofcapehenlopen.org, email fochsp@gmail.com, or call 302-858-6127.
