Rev. McClelland Wins DCMM’s Whitehall

(Left to right) Rev. McClelland and volunteer instructor Jerry McNamara stand by the Whitehall, created by the Door County Maritime Museum’s boatbuilding class. Submitted photo.

Rev. Patricia McClelland was thrilled upon receiving word of winning the grand prize in this year’s Door County Maritime Museum boat raffle which was drawn Sept. 12 at the Pumpkin Patch Festival in Egg Harbor. The summer-long raffle included more than 60 prizes but the handcrafted, classic wooden boat constructed by the museum’s boatbuilding class remained the featured prizes. This year’s vessel was a sleek Whitehall, a New England design classic rowing craft.

“I have been purchasing raffle tickets for a few years in support of the Maritime Museum,” said Rev. McClelland, of Rockford, Illinois. “What a wonderful surprise!”

“Many friends have come over to see the boat in our garage and most say they’d never put it in the water,” Rev. McClelland added. “An old saying comes to mind that I’ve used in sermons many times, ‘A ship is safe in the harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.’ We will launch the Whitehall and use it! Those who frequent Door County, and especially the Sturgeon Bay area, keep an eye out for this treasure created in the museum.”