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Docents keep Ripons downtown museum open
Museum Docents Ripon DSC 1863
Clarence Smit Memorial Museum docents are, from left, Ken Roos, Ted Johnston, Margaret McCoy, Dennis McCoy, Tony Fernandes, Don Blom, Connie Jorgensen, Gary Medeiros, Gaynl Trotter, Julie Sanny and Don Schaapman. - photo by GLENN KAHL/The Bulletin

A group of faithful docents help keep the Clarence Smit Memorial functioning and open to the public.
The museum at 430 West Main Street is open Wednesdays and Fridays from 1 to 4 p.m. or by appointment by calling Connie Jorgensen.
Jorgensen has served as the curator for four years. She is kept busy collecting and maintaining museum artifacts, documents and memorabilia along with scheduling and arranging tours and private visits to the museum.  
In addition to working as a docent, Ripon barber Gary Medeiros has a barber shop display in the museum.  
“Gary loves talking and sharing information about the displays and the articles on the museum and has been a faithful member of the team for some 20 years,” Jorgensen said.
Julie Sanny has served as a docent for some three years and is committed to learning the history of Ripon and of its people and eager to help with children and adult tours.
Gaynl Trotter is one of the docents who helps with museum tours and oversees vintage artifacts. 
City of Ripon Public Works Director Ted Johnston keeps the museum in working order with his technological skills. Ken Roos is a longtime resident of Ripon and is very knowledgeable in many areas on many levels.
Don Blom is the curator and chief docent at the Veterans Museum and at the Ripon Historical Jail.  He maintains the museum’s artifacts, documents, photos and scheduled tours.
Don Schaapman is also a docent at the Veterans Museum working on tours for children and for adults since its opening.  Tony Fernandes is a docent at the Veterans Museum and has also been on staff since its inception. 
Tony Fernandes is also a longtime docent at the veterans’ museum.
Dennis and Margaret McCoy have served as hosts and docents at the museum for the past eight years volunteering to help with tours and setting up their own displays from artifacts they have collected at their Ripon home.  They each average some 10 hours a month working in the museum.
Jeff Kincaid is credited with always being ready to help whenever the need arises – born and raised in Ripon and a 1967 grad of Ripon High School.
Jorgensen welcomes calls from community members who would be interested in serving as docents at the museum.  She can be reached at 985-3186.