SRS Heritage Foundation

SRS Heritage Foundation Receives Grants

2011-10-28T11:18:00.005-04:00

The SRS Heritage Foundation was notified in July 2011 it had received two Accommodation Tax Grants from Aiken County. The larger grant of $15,000 will be used to complete the design of exhibits for the proposed Ellenton Heritage Trail. This study will use historical material collected by the Savannah River Archaeological Research Project and the Foundation's Ellenton Trail Committee to develop themes, narratives, and signage for the trail, which will be educational and enjoyable for visitors.

The second grant of $5,000 will allow the Foundation to begin collecting video interviews of people associated with the early days of SRS. These videos of employees and people who lived near the Site in the early 1950s will be archived and used in a video that was requested by local teachers who worked with the Foundation on the video "Displaced".

Preserving the SRS 'GEM'--Well into the Future

2011-09-08T13:02:00.016-04:00

We were thrilled by the results of the 60 Years of Environmental Science at SRS Celebration, sponsored by the Foundation, at the USCA Etherredge Center on August 20, 2011. A reunion of SRS environmental scientists and researchers from the past 60 years was enjoyed by about 30 people on Friday evening at the SREL Conference Center. On Saturday, 105 people were in the audience at 9:00 am for the beginning of the symposium, with many more dropping in for specific talks. Approximately 75 attendees stayed to the closing at 3:00 pm. Meanwhile, about 200 visitors visited the Ruth Patrick Science Education Center to interact with the turtles, snakes and raptors. Audience reaction to the Celebration was solidly enthusiastic. The Aiken Standard did an excellent article in their Sunday newspaper the following day (if you missed it, there's a copy in the notebook in the Foundation office).

The taped recording of the Celebration and personal videos recorded during lunch will enable the SRS Heritage Foundation to continue publicizing environmental science in coming years. Thus, the impact of the Celebration will persist well into the future.

Celebrating 60 Years of Environmental Sciences at the Savannah River Site

2011-07-16T16:38:00.006-04:00

Environmental studies that began within months of the announcement of the Savannah River Project were extraordinary at the time and led the world in establishing the discipline of environmental science. The SRS Heritage Foundation is sponsoring a Celebration of 60 Years of Environmental Science at SRS to highlight the early pioneering work at SRS and the continuing studies that have made SRS the nation’s first National Environmental Research Park and the most-thoroughly studied site in the nation.
The Celebration of 60 Years of Environmental Science at SRS will be held on the USCA campus on Saturday, August 20, 2011. The celebration is intended for students, teachers and the general public. Activities will last from 9:00 to 3:00 with talks at the Etherredge Center by nationally-known scientists that will highlight the history, status and future plans for environmental science at the Savannah River Site. A lunch break will provide time to eat and visit exhibits in the Center, and the Ruth Patrick Science Education Center, illustrating environmental programs and displaying live animals and birds. Participants in the Celebration will include the:
* Savannah River Ecology Laboratory of the University of Georgia
* Savannah River National Laboratory of the US Department of Energy
* US Forest Service of the US Department of Agriculture
* Ruth Patrick Science Education Center of USCA
* Friends of Hitchcock Woods

The public is invited to attend the Celebration and admission will be free.
Save the date of August 20th for an interesting and enjoyable day.

Four New Members Join Board of Directors

2011-04-25T21:12:00.001-04:00

Four new members recently joined the SRS Heritage Foundation Board of Directors:

Joe Ortaldo has a BS and MS in Chemical Engineering and 42 years of experience in chemical and nuclear industries. He spent 24 years at SRS before retiring in 2004. He has been a member of the SRS Citizens Advisory Board and the Health Effects Subcommittee of the Centers for Disease Control.

Karen Patterson worked at SREL for 15 years. Since leaving SREL she has worked as an environmental consultant on projects supporting WSRC, SRNL and DOE. She served on the Citizens Advisory Board for 10 years and is a member of the CNTA Board of Directors and the SC Governor’s Nuclear Advisory Council.

Kent Sullivan graduated from Auburn University and was a cooperative education student at SRS prior to full-time employment in 1973. He retired in 2005 and is now a Senior Associate with Longnecker & Associates. He has served as a City Councilman in North Augusta and currently is Membership Chairman of the SRS Retirees Association and Vice Chairman of the SRP Federal Credit Union.

Bruce Wilson retired as Deputy Manager of the SRS Office of National Security Administration after 35 years of federal service at SRS with the Atomic Energy Commission, Energy Research & Development Administration, the Department of Energy and NNSA.

We are delighted to welcome these talented and experienced new members to the Foundation Board.

SRNS is Foundation Santa

2011-01-10T14:13:00.002-05:00

SRNS presented an early Christmas gift to the Heritage Foundation in the form of a check for $10,000. The surprise presentation was made at the SRNS Christmas Drop-in by Clif Webb, SRNS Vice President of Public Affairs. Clif Webb noted that the check qualifies SRNS as a Corporate Sponsor of the Foundation. Fred Dohse, SRNS Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer, also enthusiastically endorsed the work of the Heritage Foundation in preserving the history of the Savannah River Site.

"Displaced" Named "Best Southern Feature"

2010-11-10T17:40:00.006-05:00

The "Displaced" video was recognized as the "Best Southern Feature" at the Southern Appalachian International Film Festival in Greenville, TN. Mr. Mark Albertin, of Scrapbook Video Productions, producer of the video for the SRS Heritage Foundation, will be in Greenville November 13 to attend the screening and to receive this prestigious award.

All Day Neutrino Celebration

2010-09-27T18:57:00.011-04:00

The Neutrino Celebration on August 27 was an all-day event hosted by the SRS Heritage Foundation to celebrate the historic discovery of the neutrino and recognize the Nobel prize. . .the only Nobel prize in science awarded for work done in South Carolina. The confirmation of the neutrino at the Savannah River Site P Reactor by a team from Los Alamos, headed by Dr. Fred Reines and Dr. Clyde Cowan, was one of the most significant for modern physics. The neutrino, a sub-atomic particle, was calculated to exist by Wolfgang Pauli in 1931 and named “neutrino. . .little neutron” by the Italian physicist, Enrico Fermi. The Reines-Cowan team, dubbed the “Poltergeist Project”, persisted until their quest for the elusive neutrino was confirmed in 1956. Unfortunately, Dr. Cowan died in 1974 but Dr. Reines was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1995.

A replica of the plaque presented to SRS by the Atomic Energy Commission to commemorate confirmation of the neutrino was unveiled during a ceremony in front of the Chamber of Commerce at 10 am. The event was attended by about 50 guests to include the two daughters of the late Dr. Cowan, who came to Aiken to be a part of the celebration. A state historical marker was also unveiled during the morning activities. The marker is located in front of the Chamber building. One side commemorates “The Detection of the Neutrino, 1956” while the second side commemorates “The Nobel Prize in Physics, 1995”.

A film lecture made by Dr. Cowan at the U.S. Naval Academy shortly before his death opened a series of presentations moderated by Dr. Lester Welch at the Etherredge Center at 1 pm. A panel discussion chaired by Dr. Henry Gurr included participants in the neutrino experiment who shared reminiscences and anecdotes from the past. The program concluded with two presentations “Neutrino in Astrophysics” by Dr. Frank Avignone and “Neutrino Research Using Accelerators” by Dr. Sanjib Mishra, both of USC Columbia. The audience of about 60 enjoyed the presentations, exhibits and light refreshments.

To conclude the day’s activities, the CNTA, one of the co-sponsors of the Neutrino Celebration, hosted a dinner at Newberry Hall at 6:30 pm. Dr. John Palms, Distinguished President Emeritus of USC, was the featured speaker. Other co-sponsors were the University of South Carolina Aiken and the American Nuclear Society in conjunction with the 175th Anniversary of Aiken.

Neurino Celebration!

2010-08-16T09:51:00.003-04:00

Tickets are now available on TIX On-Line! Visit their website at www.tixonline.com and click on the Neutrino Celebration link on the homepage or visit here for the Neutrino Celebration's page directly. Purchase your tickets now for August 27! You don't want to miss this event!

SRS Curation Facility Progress

2010-07-26T16:05:00.015-04:00

The SRS Curation Facility in Building 315-M is making progress! Check out these photos of the undergoing work!

All Moved In!

2010-07-26T15:57:00.002-04:00

Our helpful movers added the last necessary additions to our office and we are open for business! Come visit us in the Chamber of Commerce to check out our beautiful new office!

We're Moving!

2010-07-06T12:31:00.002-04:00

The SRS Heritage Foundation is ecstatic to announce their new office in the Aiken Chamber of Commerce. Our new office phone number is (803)226-0116 and our mailing address is P.O. Box 2226 Aiken, SC 29802. Here is the article from the Aiken Chamber of Commcerce's website, which can be found here:

The Aiken Chamber will soon be home to the SRS Heritage Foundation. The organization has leased an office at the Chamber while it searches for a permanent downtown location. It plans to be set up and ready for business in early July. "We're excited and very pleased that the move all worked out and that the Chamber was willing to work with us on this," said Walt Joseph, executive director of the SRS Heritage Foundation. "The move is a major step forward for us. We are a new organization, and this gives us an opportunity to grow into our purpose of telling the story of the Savannah River Site (SRS)," said Joseph, a retired mechanical engineer with 39 years of service at the site.

The organization has been seeking a downtown location, so it can be part of the Heritage Corridor in the downtown area. The Chamber location will put it close to the Aiken Train Depot and the Center for African American History, Art and Culture. "We now have visibility, which is so important to our goals," said Mal McKibben, chair of the SRS Heritage Foundation Board, and former executive director of Citizens for Nuclear Technology Awareness (CNTA). "David (Jameson) has been so helpful, and we look forward to moving into the Chamber," said McKibben, a retired nuclear chemist who began at SRS with DuPont in 1955.

"Having the SRS Heritage Foundation here at the Chamber seemed like a perfect fit. We want to support their efforts and give them the exposure they need," said J. David Jameson, president of the Aiken Chamber. The location at 121 Richland Avenue, East will undoubtedly help the non-profit organization as it works to record retirees' oral history of SRS, to network with the community, to organize exhibits, to grow its membership, and to seek funding sources for future projects.

Again, our location is at 121 Richland Avenue in Aiken, SC at the Aiken Chamber of Commerce!

Welcome to Facebook!

2010-07-02T19:36:00.001-04:00

The SRS Heritage Foundation has now joined Facebook! Become a fan of our page here!

Neutrino Celebration

2010-07-02T09:16:00.003-04:00

Visit the Neutrino Celebration Website for the scheduled events for August 27, 2010. Online registration for the exciting day will be coming soon!
www.neutrinocelebration.org

SAVE THE DATE…AUGUST 27

2010-06-21T13:01:00.007-04:00

The Foundation is planning a series of events August 27th to celebrate the detection of the elusive neutrino. The neutrino celebration will recognize the historical importance of experiments at P Reactor in 1956 that resulted in a Nobel Prize in Physics for Dr. Frederick Reines. The neutrino celebration will be part of the Aiken 175th anniversary celebration. Stay tuned for the exciting details.

Ellenton Heritage Trail Update

2010-06-21T12:56:00.001-04:00

A major step toward the Foundation goal of conducting guided tours through the former community of Ellenton was achieved recently when the Site Use Permit for the Ellenton Heritage Trail was approved. Approval of the Site Use Permit is the final requirement before proceeding with the lease agreement for the Trail.

2010-06-21T12:45:00.000-04:00

The contract for completion of the SRS Curation Facility has been awarded and the job site is humming. This work will finish adapting Building 315-M to meet national standards for preservation and curation of historic artifacts and will meet a key goal of the SRS Cultural Resources Management Plan. Turnover of the 27,000 square foot building is planned for shortly after January 1, 2011. The Curation Facility will house both the SRS Cold War Artifact Collection and collections of the Savannah River Archeological Research Program

SRS HERITAGE AT ATOMIC CITY FESTIVAL

2009-11-07T13:39:00.001-05:00

Music, cars, rides, food, racing robots, Smokey Bear and a beautiful sunny day contributed to the success of this year’s New Ellenton Atomic City Festival October 10th.

The Heritage Foundation publicized the event and helped recruit SRS exhibits to add to the festivities. The Ecology Lab brought several snakes and turtles and the popular Carolina dogs. Smokey Bear came with the Forest Service and their fire truck. The hydrogen-powered truck from the Hydrogen Lab stood out among the car show vehicles.

SRNL sent racing pipe crawlers that fanned competitive spirits. Visitors were amazed by the size and scope of the Wackenhut mobile emergency command center. The Cold War Artifact Collection was represented with several artifacts and vintage photographs. Faithful volunteers from the SRS Heritage Foundation staffed our exhibits in City Hall.

The SRS Leadership Association got the Foundation off to a good start on our second video by taping interviews with former employees and early residents of nearby communities. Thanks Rich Izard.

TOURISM CONSULTANT: SRS HERITAGE CENTER IS "IMPORTANT INITIATIVE"

2009-11-07T13:31:00.007-05:00

Here come the tourists!

The Foundation proposal to establish the SRS Heritage Center at the Savannah River Site has been identified as ‘an important initiative” and an outstanding opportunity by an international tourism consulting firm. Tourism Development International, headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, performed the multi-year study for the South Carolina Department of Archives and History.

On October 8th, the consultants unveiled their recommendations for the Scenic Savannah River Region that includes Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Edgefield, Greenwood, Laurens and McCormick counties. The recommendations included two “Flagship” properties, the Savannah River Site Experience and the Aiken International Equestrian Complex, to broaden and diversify tourism in this region. The Savannah River Site Experience includes the SRS Heritage Center proposed by the Foundation. The consultants referred repeatedly to Heritage Foundation proposals and suggested several enhancements, including increased emphasis on the environmental component, sustainable energy and family fun activities.

Full implementation of the consultant’s recommendations is predicted to lead to an “increase in visitor spending to close to $500 million."

The full 66-MB report is available for download from SCPRT.

Atomic City Festival October 10th

2009-08-18T16:01:00.000-04:00

Mark your calendar for October 10^th. The SRS Heritage Foundation will again participate in planning for the Atomic City Festival in New Ellenton. Last year the Foundation helped by recruiting displays and exhibits from SRS and by providing publicity for the event. This year we plan to bring back the Carolina dogs, snakes, artifacts, Smokey Bear and the hydrogen vehicle, and add several new attractions. We’ll be recording reminiscences from early workers at the Site or those who were impacted by the coming of the Site. We’ll also be prepared to copy your early photos and memorabilia. Plan to join us October 10^th.

Going Strong!

2009-08-18T15:36:00.012-04:00

Good news…thanks to Recovery Act funds, the historic preservation program at SRS got a boost recently. DOE-SR Manager Jeffrey Allison announced that these funds would enable completion of modifications to the Curation Facility in Building 315-M. In a letter dated July 24, 2009, Mr. Allison said “I am pleased to report the balance of modifications to the 315-M Curation Facility is underway and will be completed by the end of 2011”. This means that, in the near future, the Cold War Artifact Collection of some 30,000 artifacts will be housed in a facility that meets temperature control, fire suppression and security requirements for long-term storage. Another sign of continued progress. Click here for access to both pages of the letter from DOE-SR Manager Jeffrey Allison.

Welcome!

2009-08-18T15:35:00.003-04:00

Welcome to the SRS Heritage Foundation Blog! This is your source for all of the Foundation's current news and upcoming events!