2008

On 8 June together with the Archaeological Department of the State Hermitage Museum, represented by Boris Korotkevich, volunteers visited Staraya Ladoga, where Adrian Selin, a great enthusiast and resilient protector of the Staraya Ladoga Museum Reserve, held an excellent excursion for the volunteers. The volunteers’ tour of Staraya Ladoga ended at the Wise Oleg’s Mound, delighting in the wonderful views of the Volkhov River and had shashliks on the river’s edge.

On 1 June there was a celebration for Sweets Day, dedicated to the Children’s Day, where volunteers helped to create a chocolate gryphon, which was to be entered in the Russian Record Book for the largest chocolate figure.

On 24 May 2008, the bell at Ropshinskaya School rang out for the 155th time! Volunteers arrived to congratulate leavers and the director of the school, Svetlana Raznoschikova, who conducted the graduation ceremony of her own class this year. Following the celebration they discussed plans for the future, and also a joint project for naming the school after Empress Alexandra Feodorovna.

17 May 2008 a sand sculpture festival was held. Volunteers not only helped at the Ice Studio art centre to run the festival but also took part in the competition and received an honorary second place in the amateur competition.

April 2008 – Discussions to be held with American students. Exchanged of experiences in voluntary work and practical work in the museums of the Smithsonian Institute.

March 2008 – Participation in the organization of the exhibition Tomcat Day (27.03 – 28.03.)

February – March 2008 – Help in running the Chuck Close exhibition.

12 January 2008 – The Old New Year in Ropsha. An annual celebration of the memorable event – the gift of Ropsha Estate by Emperor Nicholas I to his wife, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. Awards ceremony to the winners of the New Years Tree Competition.