Bumblebee Buzz October 2020
Preserving the Past, Enjoying the Present, Building the Future.
A Note From The President...

In the absence of being able to hold our annual fall fundraiser, Autumn with Topsail, the Board of Directors and Fundraising Committee has been actively developing fall and winter fundraising ideas. The first one, a Reverse Raffle, is dedicated to supporting the HSTI Scholarship Fund. Tickets are limited to 250 at $100 each. With 18 possible prizes ranging from a $5000 Grand Prize to nine Consolation Prizes, your chance of winning is 1 in 14. Compare that to the Lotto! Also look for an online Silent Auction later in the season among a number of other fun events the Fundraising Committee is “cooking up”. If you have an idea for a fund raiser for HSTI, please contact a member of the Board. We are still looking for great money-making ideas.
 
Last month, the Board of Directors selected Gaylene Branton to receive the HSTI Distinguished Service Award for 2020 (More details below). She has been a dedicated and tireless advocate for our Society for many years and her contribution has been particularly important this year. The best part of announcing the award was we were able to surprise Gaylene!
 
On a more somber note. In an abundance of caution, the Board has decided to cancel this year’s Jingle Bell Ball. Covid-19 and the risk of creating a “super spreader event” left us without any options. Looking forward to next year!
 
Please stay safe and follow the three W’s of Covid-19. Wash your hands, Wear a mask, and Watch you distance.

John Morris
2020 Distinguished Service Award
Photo by E.C.Smith
The Distinguished Service Award is the most important honor we can bestow on our members. It is reserved for outstanding, selfless, long term service to the Historical Society of Topsail Island. The HSTI Board is pleased to announce that Gaylene Branton has been awarded the Distinguished Service Award in recognition of her outstanding leadership, service, and dedication to the Historical Society of Topsail Island. 
Every Membership and Donation
helps us fulfill our Mission!

Thank you to everyone who has renewed their membership
or became a new HSTI member for 2020-2021.
We appreciate your support and participation!
Have you laid your membership letter aside for later or
don't remember getting one?? Now is the time!
Click on the link below today!
Questions? Contact Janine Stidley 912.656.0530 or kjstidley@aol.com

Please Join or Renew your membership with the Historical Society of Topsail Island today. By renewing now, your membership will be good until May 31, 2021.Your donations will also help keep us in the black until we are again fully open and operational!
WE'RE HAVING A REVERSE RAFFLE!
 Scholarship Fundraiser

Cancelling Bingo and Autumn with Topsail has cost HSTI over 100k in funding. The Historical Society of Topsail Island has a long-standing commitment to education and the young people of our area. ​​Each year we fund and present $10,000 in scholarships to local graduating seniors. We need your support to generate our scholarship dollars this year!

When: 20 February 2021.
Doors open at 5:00PM for social hour including hors d’oeuvres, cash bar and
music. Raffle begins at 6:00PM.
Where: The Historic Assembly Building, 720 Channel Blvd., Topsail Beach, NC
How: Only 250 raffle tickets will be sold. Cost of each ticket is $100. Your ticket entitles you to a chance to win:
·        the grand prize ($5,000),
·        one of four runner-up prizes (each $1,000),
·        one of the 9 consolation prizes (each valued at $100 or more)
·        an evening of fun and entertainment if you choose to attend
COVID-19 restrictions may limit the number of people allowed in the building.
You need not be present to win.
How it works:
*Tickets will be drawn one at a time. When your ticket is drawn you are eliminated from the raffle. Each number will be announced and posted on the board so that everyone knows when their ticket was drawn.
*Every 25th ticket drawn will win one of the consolation prizes.
*Drawing will continue until 5 tickets remain.
*The next four tickets drawn will each win $1,000
*The final ticket drawn will win the grand prize of $5,000.  
Don't Delay--Buy Your Tickets Today: From any HSTI Board Member or
Mail check to Reverse Raffle PO Box 3653 Topsail Beach NC 28445 or
Click on button below to pay by PayPal ($3 PP Fee included in payment)
2019 Scholarship Winners and School Counselors
2019 Scholarship Winners and School Counselors
The Missiles and More Museum
Welcomes
The Hampstead Hams Amateur Radio Club
Saturday, October 31 10am-4pm
Start speaking Ham Radio: amplitude, squelch, frequency, dipole, moon bounce, solar flux, Cigar plug, hertz, patch, repeater, LOS and more!
Learn how to run barefoot and not be a LID! What about some Morse code?
Meet the Hams' "Old Men" at the museum side door with your mask on and have some fun talking to people from all over the world!
Volunteer Opportunities:
How would you like to be involved?
~Online Auction~Bridge Print Raffle~Virtual Bingo!~
~Reverse Raffle~Virtual Speakers~

Do you have computer/online/virtual platform skills?
WE NEED YOU!!
Contact Gaylene at 910.389.8776 or gntbranton@gmail.com

REVERSE RAFFLE PRIZES and ONLINE AUCTION ITEMS NEEDED!!
To donate items for our upcoming Online Auction or Reverse Raffle
Contact Melinda Grant at 910.470.1910 or missmelinda@live.com
Proceeds of this event benefit the Historical Society of Topsail Island,
the Pender County Arts Council and the Pender County Museum & Historical Society.

HSTI Hosted Events
Thank you for your continuing support of the many activities hosted by HSTI
at the Historic Assembly Building and the Missiles and More Museum.
For the well-being of our community, all HSTI sponsored public events scheduled for the months of October, November and December have been cancelled.
This action is in line with the Governor’s recommendations concerning COVID-19.

These events have been cancelled:
Luncheons and Lectures
Autumn with Topsail
Jingle Bell Ball

Closed Until further notice: Missiles and More Museum

We will continue to evaluate this situation during our virtual Board meetings
and keep you informed. The decision to cancel our HSTI public activities was not easy,
however, we share your concern about our communities’ safety and well being.
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Mission Statement
 
The Historical Society of Topsail Island is dedicated to the collection, preservation and promotion of the history of the Greater Topsail Island Area.