2022 Membership Letter
In 2021,the Bockius/Orr house and gardens and the Borina Archive were open to the visiting public on a regular basis, following local Covid 19 guidance.
- During the year we recorded approximately 400 visitors to the house and gardens and another 300 to the Archive.
- Additionally the Archive answered over 250 research questions via our web site and email accounts.
- We had 220 guests at our annual Vintage Picnic.
- We hosted Saint Francis High School,Ceiba Adult Education and Watsonville High School for their senior pictures.
- We provided a display at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds Holiday Lights event and we won pt place for Organization.
To accomplish all of the above requires money. Fortunately we have 273 members and 11 Board Members who are very generous. We also have other sources such as Donations, Grants, Memorials, and Rental Income from a house owned by PVHA, Facility Rental for parties etc.
- Cash and cash equivalent investments at year end are $317,000.
Operating income for the year was $158,000, with main sources being Rental House $30,000, Memberships $24,050, Grants $24,000, Memorials, gifts and donations $37,000 and the annual Raffle $17,000. Operating expenses for the year were $136,000 with main Items being payroll $31,000, utilities $12,000, gardening and landscaping $18,000, and computer support $18,000.
Most importantly PVHA has NO debt.
Other non-operating income was a $24,000 donation to support the operation and maintenance of the Borina Archive. Other non-operational expenses were the installation of a network of six security cameras to monitor the buildings and grounds ($6,000} and repairs and maintenance of the rental house ($8,000).
Some plans for 2022 are the reconstruction of the Arbor and Orchid house, extensive trimming of our historic coastal oaks and magnolia tree and upgrading our in ground irrigation system. These 3 items alone have a potential cost of $45,000. Additionally, we have to replace the 2012 computer network server at a cost of about $12,000. Donations toward any of these future projects would be greatly appreciated.
Anyone wishing to volunteer in the Archive, House or Garden please contact Jodi Frensley the Office Administrator at 831-722-0305 or at jodi.frensley@pajarovalleyhistory.org.
If you have recently changed your email or contact information please call the office, or send us an email so we may update our contact list.
To accomplish the above, we rely on the dedicated, reliable, and loyal corps of volunteers . Our House Committee and Garden volunteers, who number 9, decorate the house with separate displays of clothing and artifacts quarterly. They also curate and manage the extensive collection of historical clothing hats and accessories. In total the house committee contributed about 860 volunteer hours in 2021
Our Archive volunteers, who total 11,assist walk in visitors with all manner of research interests and answer all research inquires received on-line. Additionally volunteer enter historical materials and photos into our extensive computer data base. They a lso manage our computer network of work stations, storage devices, and the main server. They also oversee our website and Facebook page. Volunteers also put together the newsletters, the printing and mailing thereof. In 2021the Archive volunteers contributed 3,481 hours to the Borina Archive operation.
Our Archive team works with the City of Watsonville Parks and Recreations department providing historical guidance regarding the maintenance of the historically significant City Plaza and other locations in the city.
Lastly our Office Administrator a most valuable part of our organization, takes care of the daily functions that keeps PVHA humming.
In remembrance of Lou Arbanas, a volunteer since 2006, our IT expert, Editor/Producer of our newsletter and all mailings, monitor of our website and Facebook page, archive researcher and more, passed away November 14,2021. Lou left many friends and many challenges for our archive volunteers.
In remembrance of Judy Doering Nielsen, a Board Members since 2004 and our President since 2014 passed away on January 19,2022. Judy’s major contribution to PVHA was raising $1,000,000 to buy the property next door to PVHA and build the Borina Archive. Judy helped start our annual stay at home raffle, brewed the tea at our Annual Christmas Tea, worked at securing grants and much more. Judy never backed away from a challenge and cared deeply for PVHA.
PVHA Volunteers
Archive Volunteers:
Tina Baine, Bill Beecher, Bruce Burnett, David Delfino, Gina Gallucci, Ken Kusumoto, Susan Jacobs, Claudia Mize, Elijah Ezeji- Okoye, Georg Romero, Priscilla Partridge,
House and Garden Volunteers:
Virginia Avila, Maria Burnett, Lynn Clough, Mimi Crumpton, Carolyn Davidson, Jodi Frensley, Gerry Martin, Martha Muzzi,Linda Walls
Archive Interns:
Alina Aguilar, Miliani Rodriquez Naomi Witmer
A special thank you to Tarmo Hannula and Jon Chown for all your wonderful photos and articles and all your help with our many newsletters. You both are very much appreciated.