A resident of Meredith, NH, Lawton Read has received the New Hampshire Boat Museum’s (NHBM) Golden Hammer award for his contributions as a volunteer. Noting his involvement at the museum began late last year, Executive Director Martha Cummings said Read “jumped in with both feet.”

“He is in the Boat Restoration Group, and he has built these beautiful motor stands to display the museum’s outboard motor collection for starters—he has wonderful carpentry skills,” she said. “He has also put in new doors and door frames for the office.”

Citing the award as recognition for volunteers who embody “a jack of all trades mentality and go above and beyond,” Cummings said volunteers are “indispensable” to NHBM. “Our volunteers are the heart of our operation and continued growth,” she said.

In April 2022, NHBM announced an expansion to a new location at 130 Whittier Highway in Moultonborough, NH. “We will have a year-round, climate-controlled building for exhibitions and educational programming and a better space to preserve and display our collection,” Cummings noted. “Our wonderful core of volunteers are the silent heroes behind this success.”

Expressing surprise at the recognition, Read said NHBM captured his attention during his first visit in September of last year. “I was impressed by the boats, their careful renovations, and the stories told about them,” he said. “The displays included the stories of the men and women who built, owned, and skippered them. I read everything—I joined the museum that day.”

Founded in 1992 by antique and classic boating enthusiasts, NHBM is committed to inspire people of all ages with an understanding of, and appreciation for, the boating heritage of New Hampshire’s fresh waterways. To learn more about NHBM, visit nhbm.org.