September 7, 2005

The Department of Cultural Resources and the North Museums Council are coordinating the effort to send assistance and supplies from North Carolina.

The board of the North Carolina Museums Council approved a contribution of $2500 on behalf of NCMC to the relief fund.  Museums and galleries can also contribute directly to the North Carolina relief effort by sending a check to NCMC, PO Box 2603, Raleigh, NC  27602-2603.  The Southeastern Museums Conference and Southern Arts Federation have also established funds for institutions affected by Hurricane Katrina.

There are other ways to help.  We encourage you to set up donation boxes at your museum to solicit help for the relief effort at affected cultural organizations. A flyer to attach to your donation box (PDF) will be available for download from the NCMC website (www.ncmuseums.org).

NCMC is also gathering information about how volunteers can be used in the recovery efforts. In particular demand will be registrars, conservators, and people with medical training. Maryanne Friend (919-807-7388; [log in to unmask]) will be the point person to collect volunteer names and information.

Below is a suggested list of supplies and materials compiled by David Goist, which the NC conservation team would like to have before heading into recovery work. John Campbell (919-807-7900; [log in to unmask] ) and Perry Hurt ((919) 839-6262 x2207 [log in to unmask]) will be coordinating the collection of supplies. If you have any of the items below to donate, please contact John or Perry, or drop them off at one of the following collection points.  Call ahead for drop-off information.

Collection Points

Raleigh: To be determined. Contact John or Perry for information.

Greensboro: Weatherspoon Art Museum, contact Maggie Gregory, 336-334-5770.

Charlotte: Mint Museum of Art, contact Martha Mayberry, 704-337-2005.

Gastonia: Schiele Museum, contact Randy Vinson, 704-866-6900.

Needed Supplies

1. Freezer paper on rolls
2. ProText ResCube corrugated high density polyethylene boxes (http://www.protext.net/products/rescube.html) or some other water resistant boxes or plastic milk crates for carrying wet books and other materials
3. Polyester window screen (48 inch wide) for making drying racks after stretching on artist stretcher bars. Need Anco canvas stretcher bars, 6 pcs. each, 20, 30, 40, 60 inch lengths
4. Stapler with monel staples
5. Nitrile gloves
6. Vinyl gloves
7. Blotters, white
8. Large polyethylene yard bags, clear
9. Rolls of 4 mil polyethylene, clear
10. Mylar
11. Waterproof markers
12. 3M Blue painter's masking tape
13. Duct tape
14. Labels with strings
15. Rolls of Scott Rags paper towels
16. Uninked newsprint on rolls (roll ends from a newspaper publisher such as N&O)
17. Large photo or bread trays
18. Nylon clothes line
19. Plastic clothes pins
20. 6 foot folding tables or folding saw horses and plywood for tables
21. Sponges, natural latex (as used for smoke removal)
22. Standard cleaning sponges
23. Small buckets
24. Plastic garbage cans of various sizes (5-50 gallons)
25. Work lights with extension cords
26. Rubber pads to keep objects and drying racks off floor
27. Plastic water spray bottles
28. Rolls of cotton
29. Resealable food storage bags
30. Roll of Typar spunbonded polypropylene (3201C-041), actually a landscape cover material
31. 6 units of plastic grid shelves which can be assembled on-site
32. wood 2 x 4, 6 foot lengths, 10 pcs.
33. 5 packs of 30 x 40 cardboard, 25 sheets each
34. Assorted tools such as scissors, mat knives, microspatulas, scalpel, tweezers, Optivisors, registration forms, clipboards, Bic pencils, digital camera with large storage cards, tripod, collapsible easel, hammer, hand saw