Crisfield-Somerset County Times, Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Ward Museum pumps$6M into local economyFor the Crisf1eId~Somerset County Times

SALISBURY—Decoys carved byOrisfield’s famed “counterfeiters inwood” ‘Lem and Steve Ward todayroutinely sell for thousands of dollars.

According to Salisbury U~niversity’s Business, Economic and Community Outreach Network (BEACON), however, the legacy thebrothers left on their native EasternShore is worth much more. A recentBEACON study placed the annualeconomic impact of SU’s Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art at some $6.1million on the local region.

“The Ward Museum strives to enhance the cultural and educationalfabric of this area through its events,programs and exhibits,” said LoraBottinelli, executive director, “Theeconomic impact of these activitiesis equally important and significantto the strength of our community”

According to the BEACON studysome $4 million of the museum~sannual imprint on the communitycomes from direct impacts — moneyspent by visitors drawn to the area.

This includes hotel stays, as wellas gas and food purchases, especiallyduring three of the museum’s biggest annual events: the Ward WorldChampionship Carving Competition,held each spring in Ocean City; theChesapeake Wildfowl Expo, held atthe museum each fall; and the springArt in’ nature Photo Festival, also

held at the museum.Another $2.6 million is a result of

the museum’s operational expenditures in the region. This includessalaries, services and supplies purchased by the museum, etc.

“By the time thevarious direct expenditures of the museum and of itsvisitors finish churning in our localeconomy we are talking about a $6million economic engine,” said MemoDiriker, BEACON director, “Since asignificant part of this economic impact is based on visitors spendingmoney, itis almost as ifwe are ~exporting’ the Ward Museum experience,”

The study also shows how muchthe community puts backinto thefacility and its activities, In fiscal 2012,volunteers contributed an estimated19,000 hours to the museum. Thattranslates to approximately $433,000in donated services, the study says,

Accredited by the American Association ofMuseums, the Ward Museum was established at SU by theWard Foundation in 1975. Its current‘facility on Schumaker PonEl, openedin 1992. The museum strives to promote wildfowl art while preservingthe Ward Brothers’ legacy, USA 7b-clay has named it among “10 Placesto Admire American Folk Art,”

Theresa Colvin, executive directorof the Maryland State Arts Council,said “At the state level, the combinedeconomic impact of nonprofit artsorganizations is $1 billion annually.”

Photo by A. Aubrey Bodine/© Jennifer B~ BodineSteve and Lern Ward outside their shop on Sackertown Road in an undated photograph. The Crisfield brothers are well known for decoy carving in a distinctive style,and’the Salisbury museum in their name along with related events generate over $6million into the regional economy.