The Delaware General Assembly will host a Wreaths Across America ceremony on Monday, Dec. 7, 2015 at 11:30 a.m. and the public is invited. State House ceremonies in all 50 states and Washington D.C., are part of a week-long celebration of America’s veterans and their service to our country, with a particular focus on family during the holidays.

Volunteers conduct the WAA State House Ceremonies each year in their state capitols. “This nationwide program is about remembering our fallen heroes, honoring those who serve, and teaching our children about the sacrifices made by veterans and their families to preserve our freedoms,” said Lori Christiansen, event coordinator. The originator of the wreath laying program was Morrill Worcester, owner of a wreath making company in Maine who in 1991 donated and delivered wreaths to Arlington National Cemetery to be placed on the graves of the fallen. The WAA program’s mission of “Remember, Honor, Teach,” spreads the message of the importance of remembering our fallen heroes, honoring those who serve, and teaching our children about the sacrifices made by veterans and their families to preserve our freedoms. A large wreath honoring all five branches of the armed forces will placed at the base of the Delaware Continentals Statue. Additional wreaths will be laid at four locations on the grounds of Legislative Hall, at the new Gulf War Memorial, the Dover Light Infantry Memorial Wreath, the World War II Memorial and the Medal of Honor Memorial. Dave Skocik, president of the Delaware Veterans Coalition, will provide welcoming remarks and act as the Master of Ceremonies.

“The simple act of laying these wreaths will honor their legacies and serve as a visible reminder of their sacrifices,” said State Representative Earl Jaques, Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee. Delaware Senator Bruce C. Ennis, Chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, agreed. “Delaware is proud to participate in the Wreaths Across America Program at its capital in Dover. The mission is to remember, honor and teach, by laying wreaths at the capitals in all 50 states, as well as at Arlington and all veterans cemeteries.”

http://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/

The Delaware Division of the Arts Mezzanine Gallery is pleased to present Bent, an exhibition of new work by 2015 Individual Artist Fellow in Sculpture Robert M. Bickey. The exhibition will be on view from December 4, 2015 through January 22, 2016. The opening reception for the artist will be held on Friday, December 4, from 5 to 7 p.m. The Gallery, open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., is located in the Carvel State Office Building, 820 N. French Street, Wilmington.

Bickey produced site specific work for this exhibition. His work incorporates found objects and constructed sculptural pieces that take advantage of the soaring space in the gallery. Light and sound play an important role in the work. “The Mezzanine Gallery show gave me the opportunity to be visually and artistically experimental,” said Bickey. “My intention is to question the visitor’s ideas of art and beauty, time and place, and what society deems ‘precious.’”

Robert M. Bickey lives in Wilmington and has taught art at Delaware School of Art & Design, University of Delaware, Clemson University, Central Carolina Community College, and Tower Hill School.

The Delaware Division of Libraries (DDL) is pleased to announce that Delaware Libraries were voted Community Group of the Year in Technical.ly Delaware’s first annual Delaware Innovation Awards. These awards celebrate the innovators that make Delaware great. Delaware Libraries were recognized for their expansion of 3D printing and STEM literacy to many libraries throughout the state.

Technical.ly Delaware, a statewide online technology news network, announced the award winners at the closing reception celebrating Delaware Innovation Week (Nov. 13-21).

“This is a real testament to the Division’s efforts to ensure universal access to technology resources and leveraging that technology to inspire their patrons,” said Secretary of State Jeffrey Bullock.

DDL has encouraged innovation statewide through the ever evolving Inspiration Space – mini-makerspaces in libraries where people can learn about and experiment with technology, entrepreneurship, and DIY activities. DDL has provided libraries with 3D printers, green screens, video cameras, software, and training for the public to use or attend. Libraries have also partnered with several organizations to present classes on computer coding, 3D modeling, and more.

“Libraries are making experiences come alive, off the page, for our communities,” said Dr. Annie Norman, State Librarian. “Libraries are a linchpin for discovery in all subject areas, and we are working with partners and experts to make available a greater array of experiences for our communities.  So Delawareans have the opportunity they might not have otherwise to discover a passion, to develop an expertise, and to make connections to support invention and innovation.”

Emerging Technologies Librarian Sarena Fletcher said, “We’re thrilled to be recognized as a leading contributor to Delaware’s innovative growth. We provide Delawareans opportunities to explore emerging technologies while working together to create a thriving community.”

Contact:
Beth-Ann Ryan, Deputy Director
Beth-ann.ryan@delaware.gov
302-257-3002

The Delaware Division of Libraries, a state agency dedicated to unleashing the potential in all Delawareans in partnership with Delaware Libraries, offers free access to the online catalog (delawarelibraries.org); Wi-Fi; computers/internet; eBooks, programs/classes, community partnerships, and more.

(DOVER, Del.—Nov. 19, 2015)—During the month of December 2015, the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs will be sponsoring 11 special programs including seven winter-holiday-themed activities. A full schedule of events is listed below. All programs are free and open to the public.

Highlights of the month include a screening of the classic 1951 film “Scrooge” which will take place at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 2 at the New Castle Court House Museum located at 211 Delaware St., in New Castle. Based on Charles Dickens’ book “A Christmas Carol,” the film stars Alastair Sim as the curmudgeonly miser who sees the error of his ways after being visited by three spirits. Admission to the film is free but, due to space restrictions, reservations are recommended by calling 302-323-4453.

On Saturdays, Dec. 5 and 19, from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Dover’s John Dickinson Plantation, located at 340 Kitts Hummock Road in Dover, will present “Handmade for the Holidays,” a hands-on program in which visitors can create holiday-themed crafts. On Dec. 5 visitors will learn to decorate cards through the art of paper quilling and stenciling, while on Dec. 19, visitors will learn how to create plaster ornaments.

Finally, the Zwaanendael Museum, located at 102 Kings Highway in Lewes, will celebrate the winter season with the programs “Hospitality Night” on Thursday, Dec. 3 from 5 to 8 p.m., and “Tour Zwaanendael Museum” on Saturday, Dec. 5, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. On both occasions, the museum will be festively decorated for the season by the Sussex Gardeners, a local garden club.

Administered by the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, the five museums of the state of Delaware—the John Dickinson Plantation, the Johnson Victrola Museum, the New Castle Court House Museum, The Old State House and the Zwaanendael Museum—tell the story of the First State’s contributions to the history and culture of the United States. Through displays, exhibits and special programs, the museums explore how the state’s distinctive physical environment, in combination with the people who came to live there, gave Delaware an identity that is different from any other place. Go to the following for a comprehensive, long-term calendar of museum events.

Special events, December 2015

Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015
“Hollywood History at the Court House: ‘Scrooge.’ ” Screening of the 1951 film starring Alastair Sim. New Castle Court House Museum, 211 Delaware St., New Castle. Film at 7 p.m. Free admission but, due to space restrictions, reservations are recommended by calling 302-323-4453.

Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015
“Hospitality Night.” Holiday-themed program in which the museum will be decorated for the season by the Sussex Gardeners. Activities will include music, demonstrations and seasonal refreshments. Presented in partnership with the Lewes Chamber of Commerce. Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes. 5–8 p.m. 302-645-1148.

Saturday, Dec. 5, 2015
“Judge an Album by Its Cover.” Before the days of downloads people purchased albums or CDs that were clad in decorative and elaborate artwork. Make your personalized album cover to add to your own collection of music while listening to original recordings played on authentic Victor Talking Machines. First Saturday in the First State program. Johnson Victrola Museum, 375 S. New St., Dover. 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-739-3262. Note: The museum’s telephone number has changed from 302-744-5055 to 302-739-3262.

Saturday, Dec. 5, 2015
Delaware Day awards ceremony. Event honors participants in the Delaware Department of State’s 14th annual Delaware Day Fourth Grade Competition which challenges students to create displays that help illustrate and explain the U.S. Constitution and the role played by Delawareans in the writing and ratification of the nation’s founding document. First State Heritage Park Welcome Center and Galleries, 121 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Dover. 10 a.m. 302–739–4111.

Saturday, Dec. 5, 2015
“Quill Pen Writing and 18th Century Transcription.” Write a fancy letter the old-fashioned way with a quill pen while also learning how to translate historic documents. First Saturday in the First State program. The Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-744-5054. Note: The museum’s telephone number has changed from 302-744-5055 to 302-744-5054.

Saturday, Dec. 5, 2015
“Tour Zwaanendael Museum.” Enjoy the museum’s festive holiday-décor. Event held in conjunction with the Lewes Historical Society’s Christmas Tour of Lewes. Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. 302-645-1148.

Saturday, Dec. 5, 2015
“Handmade for the Holidays.” Seasonal program in which visitors can learn to create and decorate cards through the art of paper quilling and stenciling, and write a personal note with a quill pen. John Dickinson Plantation, 340 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover. Program 11 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Museum open 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-739-3277.

Saturday, Dec. 12, 2015
“Spirit of Christmas in New Castle.” One of the best preserved Colonial-era towns in America will feature tours of historic homes bedecked in holiday decorations, Dickens-themed holiday activities, re-enactments, programs at museums including the New Castle Court House Museum, crafts, musical entertainment and more. Festivities will conclude at 5 p.m. with the annual Christmas tree lighting at Market Square. Downtown New Castle. 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. 302-328-3279.

Saturday, Dec. 12, 2015
“Woodland Christmas and Jingle Bells”: Buena Vista Holiday Open House. One-day-only event featuring tours of one of Delaware’s most historic homes decorated for the holidays plus craft activities for children. Buena Vista Conference Center, 661 S. Dupont Highway (Route 13), New Castle. 10 a.m.–2 p.m. 302-323-4430.

Saturday, Dec. 12, 2015
Demonstrations by the Thistledown Fiber Arts Guild. Program explores spinning, weaving, knitting and other fabric arts. John Dickinson Plantation, 340 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover. Program 1–3 p.m. Museum open 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-739-3277.

Saturday, Dec. 19, 2015
“Handmade for the Holidays.” Seasonal program in which visitors can create a plaster ornament. John Dickinson Plantation, 340 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover. Program 11 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Museum open 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-739-3277.

Exhibits and displays, December 2015
In addition to special programming, the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs is sponsoring the following exhibits and displays:

Ongoing
“Delaware and the War of 1812.” Exhibit examines the service and sacrifice of Delawareans of 1812 to 1815, and the important role that the state played in a conflict that helped shaped the development of the United States. Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes. Nov. 1–March 31: Wed.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. April 1–Oct. 31: Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Sun., 1:30–4:30 p.m. 302-645-1148.

Ongoing
“Delaware Mourns Lincoln: A Demonstration of Love and Sorrow.” Utilizing graphics, clothing and memorabilia, the display explores how Delawareans expressed their deep sorrow upon the death of President Abraham Lincoln on April 15, 1865. From the collections of the state of Delaware. The Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. Mon.–Sat., 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Sun., 1:30–4:30 p.m. 302-744-5054. Note: The museum’s telephone number has changed from 302-744-5055 to 302-744-5054.

Ongoing
“Discovering Delaware’s Maritime Past.” Display explores the DeBraak, a shipwrecked 18th-century British warship including a photo of the hull recovery, reproductions of items aboard ship, and a model of the vessel. Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes. Nov. 1–March 31: Wed.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. April 1–Oct. 31: Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Sun., 1:30–4:30 p.m. 302-645-1148.

Ongoing
“Emeline Hawkins: Her Journey From Slavery to Freedom on the Underground Railroad.” Exhibit chronicles the compelling story of Emeline Hawkins and her family and their 1845 odyssey on the Underground Railroad from slavery in Maryland, through Delaware to freedom in Pennsylvania. New Castle Court House Museum, 211 Delaware St., New Castle. Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Sun., 1:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-323-4453. Note: The museum’s operating hours have changed from Wed.–Sat., 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m. to Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m., and Sun., 1:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m.

Ongoing
Sculpture by Charles Parks. Display of works by the noted Wilmington artist featuring historical and political figures including a Minute Man, and presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and George W. Bush. New Castle Court House Museum, 211 Delaware St., New Castle. Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Sun., 1:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-323-4453. Note: The museum’s operating hours have changed from Wed.–Sat., 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m. to Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m., and Sun., 1:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m.

Ongoing
“A Seaborne Citizenry: The DeBraak and Its Atlantic World.” Exhibit utilizes artifacts recovered from His Majesty’s Sloop of War DeBraak, a British warship that sank off the Delaware coast on May 25, 1798 to tell the story of the vessel, its crew and the historical context within which it operated in the Atlantic World of the late 18th century. Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes. Nov. 1–March 31: Wed.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. April 1–Oct. 31: Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Sun., 1:30–4:30 p.m. 302-645-1148.

Ongoing
“Simple Machines.” Exhibit demonstrating the six “simple machines”—incline ramp, screw, wedge, pulley, lever and wheel—that constitute the elementary building blocks of which many more-complicated machines are composed. John Dickinson Plantation, 340 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover. Oct. 1–March 31: Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. April 1–Sept. 30: Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Sun., 1:30–4:30 p.m. 302-739-3277. Note: The museum’s operating hours have changed from Wed.–Sat., 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m. to Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. From April 1–Sept. 30, the museum is open Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; and Sun., 1:30–4:30 p.m.

Ongoing
“World War II Through the Lens of William D. Willis.” Designed by the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, the display features photographs taken in Western Europe from 1943-45. From the collections of the state of Delaware. Legislative Hall, 411 Legislative Ave., Dover. Limited visitation hours; call 302-739-9194 before planning a visit.

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Contact:
Jim Yurasek
Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs
Phone: 302-736-7413
E-mail: Jim.Yurasek@delaware.gov
Web: http://history.delaware.gov

-Reservations required by Nov. 30, 2015-

(DOVER, Del.—Nov. 17, 2015)—Soon it will be the season—and with it the opportunity to enjoy a social occasion like one of 250 years ago. On Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, from 3 to 5 p.m., the Friends of the John Dickinson Mansion will entertain guests with a holiday gathering in the John Dickinson Plantation’s historic mansion house located at 340 Kitts Hummock Road in Dover, Del. The afternoon will feature the refreshments, spirits and decorations that might have been present in the 18th century when Dickinson was in residence at the property.

Reservations for the holiday party are required in advance by sending $25 per person to the Friends of the John Dickinson Mansion, P.O. Box 1110, Dover, DE 19903, by Monday, Nov. 30, 2015. Checks should be made payable to the Friends of the John Dickinson Mansion. Prompt reservations are encouraged, due to the mansion’s limited space, and will be honored by the date of their receipt. Reservations will be acknowledged by email if requested and an email address is provided. For additional information, call 302-739-3277.

The John Dickinson Plantation was the boyhood home and country estate of John Dickinson, one of the founding fathers of the United States, signer of the U.S. Constitution and “Penman of the Revolution.” The plantation features Dickinson’s original 1740 brick home, reconstructed farm buildings and a log’d dwelling, surrounded by rich agricultural lands stretching down to the banks of the St. Jones River.

A nonprofit, charitable organization dedicated to the extension of knowledge about Dickinson and his historic home, the Friends of the John Dickinson Mansion has been instrumental in commissioning many projects including biographies, research, events and educational films including a documentary about Dickinson that was broadcast on Public Broadcasting Service stations.

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Contact:
Jim Yurasek
Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs
Phone: 302-736-7413
E-mail: Jim.Yurasek@delaware.gov
Web: http://history.delaware.gov