A message from our President, Lynn Fylak

My name is Lynn Fylak. After longtime President, Rik Van Hemmen, stepped down from the Board, as Vice President I have now become President. My name may be familiar to some of you as I have been active with NMHA since 2019 when I worked with the group on the exhibition Guns Blazing! The War of 1812 and the Jersey Shore at the Twin Lights National Historic Site. As a trained graphic designer and former art director at Christie’s auction house and founder of Neversink Projects, I was entrusted to design the exhibition catalog. 

Before NMHA, I was President of the Atlantic Highlands Historical Society, a trustee of both the Jersey Coast Heritage Museum and All Saints' National Landmark Trust and Vice President of the Atlantic Highlands Arts Council. My connection to the latter enabled us to produce the joint program Maritime: Art and Design in the Atlantic Highlands gallery space. We also built a “6-hour canoe” onsite there. 

As with any addition to a board, members are there to strengthen existing programs and grow the organization. After being voted onto the Board of NMHA, I updated the logo, designed and edited two organizational brochures for NMHA along with the traveling banners. Knowing that NMHA has a unique focus of maritime topics in our area, I aimed to connect the group with the existing network of regional historical societies and historians. With my encouragement, we now participate in (and host a members reception for) Weekend in Old Monmouth, a program of the Monmouth County Historical Commission. I brought my grant writing skills to NMHA, which has been awarded two MCHA regrant awards and one preservation grant that enabled the floors to be restored in the two original 1730-era rooms at Grover House. NMHA was also awarded a Heritage Tourism grant from the New Jersey Historic Trust, which enabled Rick Geffken to research the life of James Grover. I will continue to seek grant opportunities that align with our mission so we can continue our work for the community.

Moving forward, I will focus on Special Programs, fundraising/“friendraising” and design. The first event will be our third annual fundraising sail aboard the Schooner AJ Meerwald scheduled for July 17. I hope to see you there. 

NMHA has been operating for more than 25 years. Trustees and volunteers have established anchor programs such as River Rangers, community paddle, the speakers series, and the 6-hour canoe building programs. Along with these, I envision NMHA creating additional programs—like last season's evergreen workshop (inspired by research from Michelle Moon)—and maybe a maritime book club and a scheduled Maritime Meet-Up. The spirit of NMHA has been one of “experiment to see what works.” I aim to continue with you in that direction, getting back to our focus on our area and how maritime events contributes to it. 

Thank you for your interest and support of the Navesink Maritime Heritage Association.

Lynn Fylak, President, Navesink Maritime Heritage Association