OPS officers get some pizza appreciation
You’d expect a pizza sent from across the Atlantic to be a little cold when it arrives. Not if it’s warmed by the comaraderie of the international museum community.
On July 17, 1839, Richard Rush, a former secretary of the U.S. Treasury, set sail from London with 11 boxes of gold sovereigns representing the estate of the late James Smithson. Forty-three days later, on Aug. 29, his ship landed in New York City and three days after that he deposited $508,318.46 in gold at the U.S. Mint at Philadelphia. This money was used to establish the Smithsonian Institution in 1846.
Money moves a little differently today. During the partial shutdown of the U.S. government earlier this year, Jim Richardson of North Shields, England, launched a GoFundMe page specifically “to send a slice of pizza to Smithsonian workers affected by the Shutdown.” The page also stated “The Federal shutdown has left many furloughed from work, and some essential staff working without pay.”
Dominated by a photo of a cheesy pizza being pulled apart by six hungry hands, the page was shared on Facebook 133 times and inspired 49 donations totaling £530 (pounds) or $600.
From left, Lt. Theodore Ellis, Quadrangle Museum; Anthony Perkins, Asst. Security Manager, National Museum of the American Indian; Mirza Dedajic, Security Manager, National Museum of Natural History; Lt. Andre Bell, National Museum of African American History and Culture; Andrea Robinson, Security Manager, NMAAHC; Officer Patrick Bero, Zoo Police. (Photo by Lissa Eng)
Mr. Luke Cassidy, Assistant Manager, Zoo Police
Facebook user Susan Neal from the Peterborough Museum & Archives in Ontario, Canada, donated £30. Sara Urizar, Rebecca Shaw, Cerise Cauthron, Laura Coleman, Elke Divina and Richardson each contributed £20. The digital media agency Cogapp and HistoryIT Inc, which offers “strategizing, optimizing, digitizing, hosting, and sharing of your historical materials” under the motto “We give history a future,” each donated £50.
“I want to show support with workers at the Smithsonian by making a gesture to put a smile on their faces at this difficult time,” one donor explained in the GoFundMe page’s comments section.
“Please don’t get cheese on the artefacts,” typed another.
“Museum workers from around the world want to show support with workers at the Smithsonian and have donated money to buy lunch for those working through the shutdown,” said Richardson, who is a founder of MuseumNext, an organization that organizes conferences around the world to help define the future of museums and cultural institutions.
Lt. Theodore Ellis heading off to share lunch with his colleagues in the Quadrangle. (Photo by Lissa Eng)
After learning of the GoFundMe page through social media, staff in the Smithsonian’s Office of Public Affairs worked with the staff at the Friends of the National Zoo to officially accept the money electronically from GoFundMe.org.
“The transaction was done through FONZ, which is a separate 501C3 organization from the Smithsonian Institution, and FONZ then purchased the pizzas,” explained Christine Huber, manager of advancement operations for the National Zoo, who organized the transfer with Zoo colleague Virginia Kromm and FONZ colleague Ginna Newton.
At 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 30 large pizzas baked by We The Pizza on Capitol Hill were delivered to the East Door of the Smithsonian Castle. The hot food was even more warmly received and quickly distributed by Office of Protection Services staff to guard break rooms in museums up and down the National Mall, to the American Art/Portrait Gallery Building and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Va.
Lt. Andre Bell collects pizzas for his colleagues at the National Museum of African American history and Culture. (Photo by Lissa Eng)
“Our dedicated staff keep the Smithsonian collections and properties safe every day, and these employees continued to do so during the government shutdown,” said Jeanne O’Toole, director of the Office of Protection Services. “Although it was challenging for folks to not know when they would next be paid, it was encouraging for everyone to see that they had support from colleagues across the world!”
“These people really wanted to help support our security staff who were working on the Mall and elsewhere during the furlough. Their donation was a very nice way to say thank you,” Huber said.
“We are truly appreciative of this heartfelt gesture from the international community,” OPS Deputy Director of Operations Terrell Wilson said. “This act of kindness is representative of the camaraderie that exists within the museum community.”
No pizza, but plenty of brussels sprouts
Celebrity Chef Jose Andres offered free meals to furloughed employees during the shutdown. He took special care of Smithsonian staff at the National Zoo, making sure staff were as well-fed as the animals in their care.
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Posted: 8 February 2019
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