Richmond Museum Association celebrates volunteers, shares future plans

By Mike Kinney

The SS Red Oak Victory will expand its public visiting hours next summer as part of the Richmond Museum Association’s (RMA) ongoing efforts to share the city’s World War II shipbuilding legacy with more visitors.

The announcement came during a Nov. 8 celebration at the historic Galileo Club, where the RMA thanked the volunteers and supporters who help preserve Richmond’s history through the Richmond Museum of History & Culture and the Red Oak Victory.

“It’s so exciting to bring all of the volunteers and supporters together,” said former RMA president John Ziesenhenne, owner of M.A. Hays Insurance. “We’re celebrating Richmond’s great history and the people who keep it alive.”

Board member Lynn Maack shared how he and his late wife, Sandi Genser-Maack, became involved through their collection of Richmond memorabilia, some of which now appears in the museum’s exhibits.

RMA President Karen Buchanan praised the organization’s role as “stewards of Richmond’s cultural and industrial history,” highlighting the museum’s growing exhibits and the Red Oak Victory as a proud symbol of the city’s wartime legacy.

Mark Epperson, director of the Red Oak Victory, discussed plans to restore and relocate the ship closer to the Craneway Pavilion and Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park, an effort expected to cost several million dollars.

The event featured live music by the Nick Rossi Trio, a silent auction, and updates on the museum’s digitization project, which has preserved thousands of historical photos and films now available online. Buchanan said community support will help sustain these efforts “for generations to come.”