Hancock Shaker Village Bids a Fond Farewell to Director Jennifer Trainer Thompson
Former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick led the tributes to the museum's departing director and CEO.
Jennifer Trainer Thompson and daughter Isabel with Carol and Bob Stegeman
On the 248th anniversary of Shaker founder Mother Ann Lee’s arrival on the shores of North America from England, Saturday, Aug. 6, Hancock Shaker Village held its annual summer gala. The celebration and fundraiser was also a tribute and farewell to its departing Executive Director and CEO Jennifer Trainer Thompson. During her six-year tenure, Trainer Thompson added modern art exhibitions, live music concerts and festivals, Food for Thought author dinners, and other events to the historic site’s lineup, while also spearheading efforts to repair and update the Village’s many buildings, as well as reopen the South Family trail and site.
Cocktails and a sit-down dinner by Mezze Catering led into a live auction and performances by Dar Williams, Billy Keane, and Roomful of Teeth's Brad Wells, Virginia Warnken, and Cameron Beauchamp.
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Matteline deVries-Dilling, founder of Lite Brite Neon, one of the evening's honoree of this year's Upstate Benefit adresses the gala from the Caboose's caboose.
- Karen Pearson. Courtesy Art Omi.
Olana senior vice president and landscape curatorMark Prezorski, president Sean Sawyer, The evenings honoree Kristin Gamble and New York State Assemblymember Didi Barrett.
- Oxygen House Photo
