We are sitting here, looking back at the 23rd Ice Cream Social at Heritage House.  We truly have an amazing group of people in the RMA.  Everyone turned out to put together a memorable event for the guests.   This was the smoothest and best organized Ice Cream Social we have ever had.  There is no way an event of this scope can be a success without ALL who participated, including the support from the City, Mayor Bailey and Councilmen Perry and Mac Arthur who “dipped” for us and from the support of Teresa, Megan, Lynn, Cesar, and Brenda Flowers from the Riverside Metropolitan Museum department who helped with set up and getting all the right permits, traffic control, kids games, and the homemade ice cream.

16 of the 19 RMA board members participated.  RMA Multicultural Council had a very strong showing thanks to Carole Zuloaga who organized their participation.  Their children’s crafts were a big hit and many an adult called on his inner child to craft a butterfly or a drum or a doll.  There were RMA members there Friday and Saturday in addition to being there all day Sunday setting the stage with bunting and misters and at the end, undoing it all until next year.  True heroes, Betze, Karen and Sue, were in the kitchen all day making lemonade and making sure the tables stayed stocked.  Jo, the scheduler for the volunteers at Heritage House, did a fabulous job with scheduling.

There were so many things to do and it all got done.  I believe we had 100% participation from the Heritage House docents.  Kris Streich chaired the Opportunity Drawing with great success.  Of course, we cannot say enough about Charlotte who recruited and organized all of our entertainment including DAR and SAR.  We love welcoming our ‘tried and true’ performers, and we welcomed for the 2nd time the youth orchestra, who are absolutely amazing.  A step back in time took you to the Inland Recorder Society and their various sizes and types of recorders.  One could just sit back and enjoy.  “No Idle Hands” and the “Chip Chuckers” added to our ambiance. The help from the Scouts of Troop 90 was icing on the cake.  Their energy and their willingness to be runners for anything and everything really made it easy on everyone.

So as we sit here looking back, we raise our glasses of lemonade to the fabulous group of people we are privileged to work with.

Peggy Barnhart

Robin Whittington

Congratulations to the RMA officers and board members elected at the RMA Annual Meeting on May 12, 2016. Elected by the membership, the following will serve on the RMA Board: Peggy Barnhart, President; Steve Mains, Vice President; Shirley Lilly, Secretary; and Robin Whittington, Treasurer. Jim Ferguson will continue to serve as Past President.  Laura McMorris was elected as a Director-At-Large.

We appreciate the time, energy and enthusiasm our Board members dedicate to the RMA and to the Museum.  Continuing on the Board are Carol Annas, Jo Matza, Sue Strickland, and Carole Zuloaga as Directors at Large.

The balance of the Board is made up of the following positions, all appointed by the RMA President and approved by the Board: Hospitality Chair, Membership Chair, Newsletter Editor, Publicity Chair and Ways and Means Chair, and representatives from the following committees: Trip, Gallery Docents, Museum Assistants, Heritage House Volunteers, Heritage House Operations, and Multicultural Council.

Looking forward to a great year as the Board faces the challenges of an all-volunteer non-profit in service to the Riverside Metropolitan Museum.