52nd Annual Delaware Show

A VERY REWARDING SECOND CAREER BY TERRY DINNEEN In the late 1960s I took my first tour of Winterthur and attended my first Delaware Antiques Show. Those events sparked an interest in antiques that has lasted to this day. It’s not that I’m a great collector, I’m not; it’s seeing and learning about the objects that’s really fun for me. Winterthur is my second career. In 1999 I had major heart problems and retired from Morgan Stanley, ending a forty-year career. Amazing friends got me back on my feet, and a few years later one told me Winterthur was hiring docents and encouraged me to apply. I was apprehensive; my daughter’s godmother had been on the Board for years, and I knew that Winterthur wasn’t just another museum. It’s a world-class institution. But I was hired, and today I’m a senior guide and tour manager. I can’t begin to list all the things I’ve done at the museum, including driving a topless golf cart at Garden Fair during Hurricane Ivan. The first year I joined the Hospitality Committee of the Delaware Antiques Show. About eight years ago, Harry Gordon invited me to be part of the Gentlemen’s Committee, which oversees the dealer move- in and move-out at the venue. On the Wednesday before the Thursday Preview, committee members arrive at 6:45 am to manage the loading docks. In spite of Harry’s advance planning, things happen when you’re dealing with so many variables. But everyone has a positive attitude, and the moves are surprisingly smooth. Twenty-four hours later, the dealers have worked their magic and turned almost empty rooms into amazing displays of antiques in what is considered one of the top shows in the country. When asked why I continue to work at my age, the answer is easy: it’s the amazing people—from the Winterthur staff to the visitors I encounter from all walks of life. The day I applied for the position at the museum, the security officer asked my name. Two weeks later when I arrived, he said “Hi Terry” as if we were old friends. Today we really are old friends. And I’ve made hundreds more. Winterthur’s volunteer program encourages participation from the community to meet Winterthur’s mission of preserving and enhancing the legacy of its founder, H. F. du Pont, for the benefit and enjoyment of the public. Are you interested in joining the hundreds of volunteers who dedicate time and expertise throughout the museum, garden, and library? Visit winterthur.org and click on the Volunteer link on the bottom left of the home page to learn more. — 143 —