2019 Lowell Thomas Awards Weekend

2019 Lowell Thomas Awards Weekend

ECWG extends a warm WELCOME to the Lowell Thomas Awards Weekend 2019 in Washington, DC! We hope you will have a memorable weekend and will enjoy all that is being offered in the way of events, tours, local sights and camaraderie. We remain at your service.

Bill Runyon, ECWG Chair & Hospitality (917-744-4210), Lonnie Schorer, LTAW Chair (703-901-0318), with LTAW Vice Chairs Debbie Bell, Jay Kaplan, and Susan Sawtelle.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE AND FOR TOUR RESERVATION INFORMATION

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Weekend Highlights:

  • Friday, October 11, for VIP ticket holders
    VIP Reception and Buffet at The Embassy of Uzbekistan – 6:30-10:30 pm
    1746 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
    Dress for men: jacket & tie. Dress for ladies: dressy slacks or dress. Native attire.
    Transportation on your own. The Embassy is an 8-10 minute walk from the Mayflower Hotel. Exit Connecticut Avenue entrance and turn right; in .2 mi. make slight right onto 18th St.; in .2 mi. turn right on Massachusetts Ave, the Uzbekistan Embassy is 400 ft. on the right.
  • Saturday, October 12, for Everyone – 8:30-11:40 am
    Lowell Thomas Awardee Presentations – open to all; no tickets required
    National Geographic, Grosvenor Auditorium, 1145 17th Street, NW
    Exit the 17th Street door of the Mayflower, cross 17th Street and enter National Geographic. Walk through the building, across the outdoor courtyard and into the 2nd building to the Grosvenor Auditorium
    Details on the AWARDS PAGE
  • Saturday, October 12, Lowell Thomas Awards Gala for ticket holders – 6:00-11:00 pm
    The Mayflower Hotel
    1127 Connecticut Avenue, NW
    Cocktail Reception & Silent Auction – East Room (bidding closes at 9:00 pm; see below for UPS shipping)
    Dinner, Awards, Live Auction – Grand Ballroom
    Wildlife Viewing – Cabinet Room
    After Gathering – China Room
    Dress: Black Tie or Native Dress
  • Sunday, October 13, Tour of the Cosmos Club for ticket holders – 10:45-11:15 am
    Limited round trip van transportation
    Van departs Mayflower (from DeSales Street entrance), going to Cosmos Club, at 10:15 am
    The Cosmos Club
    2121 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
    Dress: jacket, tie, collared shirt, slacks; equivalent dress for ladies.
  • Sunday, October 13, Cosmos Club Brunch for ticket holders – 11:00 am-2:00 pm
    Limited round trip van transportation
    Van departs Mayflower (from DeSales Street entrance), going to Cosmos Club, at 10:45am
    Vans return to Mayflower at 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm
    The Cosmos Club
    2121 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
    Dress Code: jacket, tie, collared shirt, slacks; equivalent dress for ladies.

LTAW Van Coordinator for Cosmos Club and Arlington National Cemetery vans: Michael Max (202-497-0031)

SILENT AUCTION SHIPPING INFORMATION: UPS staff will be onsite in their Mayflower Hotel store from 9:00-11:00 pm the night of the Awards Gala for guests to organize and pay for shipment of their winning bid auction items. Take the elevator to the mezzanine level. The UPS store can be seen directly across.
For a complete description of auction items please see this page:

HOTEL

Room reservations can now be made at the Mayflower Hotel. Special Lowell Thomas rates Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Please call 877-212-5752 for booking. Our block name is: ‘Lowell Thomas’

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AUCTION

We need your help obtaining live and silent auction items!

Please contact Susan Sawtelle MN’Ol at LTAD2019auction@gmail.com or Ken Kambis FN’ll at LTAD2019auction@gmail.com
with questions or to make your donations.

Contact – Please contact one of the following with suggestions and questions, or to volunteer:

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EVENTS

Arlington National Cemetery – VIP Tour

Saturday, October 12 and Sunday, October 13

Participants will tour Arlington National Cemetery, our nation’s most sacred shrine and hallowed ground, to visit the gravesites of some of The Explorers Club’s founding members and famous firsts. While there, guests will witness the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider and, on Sunday, participants will witness a historic wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider on behalf of our members that have gone on to higher exploration. Led by retired U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major Eric Fies MN’16.

https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/


Holocaust Museum – Cancelled

Saturday, October 12 and Sunday October, 13

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum was created to be a “resonator of memory”. Take in our special tour. Learn about the Holocaust. Remember survivors and victims. Confront genocide and antisemitism. Review historical factors that gave rise to the intense Nazi antisemitism and the contemporary implications to the world.

https://www.ushmm.org/

 

Library of Congress Map Collection – FULLY BOOKED

Saturday October 12

Tour behind-the-scenes collections of the Library of Congress to view early and rare maps of the Americas, documenting discovery and exploration. Behold selected artifacts from the archaeological vault. Led by Director John Hessler.

This tour is now fully booked!

https://www.loc.gov/


National Air and Space Museum

Saturday, October 12 and Sunday, October 13

The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum will help lead a national celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo missions including the first Moon landing, which occurred on July 20, 1969. A year-long celebration is planned as they look back at the legacy of our first small steps on the Moon and look forward to the next giant leap. Join our tour for museum ‘highlights’ and conversation about the past, present, and future of innovation and exploration.

https://airandspace.si.edu/


National Gallery of Art ‘Masterpiece’ Tour

Saturday October 12

The Masterpiece Tour is part of the National Gallery’s commitment to promote the understanding, knowledge, and appreciation of Old Master paintings to as wide an audience as possible. This is a special curatorial tour.


National Gallery of Art ‘Wilderness’ Tour

Sunday, October 13

Tour will focus on the spirit of early exploration of the wilderness in our young country. Featured paintings will include artists Winslow Homer, John Singer Sargent, Thomas Eakins, James McNeil Whistler, and Hudson River School masterpieces, including those of Albert Bierstadt, painter of the American West. Led by Jennifer Jacobs.

https://www.nga.gov/


National Museum of Natural History – Anthropology – The David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins

Saturday October 12

The Hall of Human Origins offers visitors an immersive, interactive journey through 6 million years of scientific evidence for human origins. Connect with your distant ancestors at the Hall’s life-size forensically reconstructed faces of early human species:• Smithsonian anthropologists provide background and answer questions. Led by previous Lowell Thomas Awardee, Rick Potts FN’95.

National Museum of Natural History – Entomology (Behind-the-scenes collections)

Saturday, October 12 and Sunday, October 13

Get a feel for the enormity of the 35 million insects and arachnids of the Smithsonian’s Entomology Collections and what it takes to preserve and manage them. See examples of mimicry and camouflage. Field collecting methods will be discussed and various types of storage shown. Led by former Collections Manager, David Furth.

https://naturalhistory.si.edu/


National Museum Of Natural History – Special Exhibit (Narwhal: Revealing An Arctic Legend)

Saturday October 12

A behind-the-scenes perspective on gathering data in one of nature’s harshest environments. Martin Nweeia FN’99, previous Lowell Thomas Awardee, who has carried the TEC Flag on 12 High Arctic expeditions will discuss his groundbreaking studies of narwhal tusk sensory function and Inuit traditional knowledge.


United States Capitol – Tour of the Brumidi Corridors – FULLY BOOKED

Friday October 11

This is a special opportunity of learn about the art and history behind the extraordinary Constantino Brumidi corridors depicting exploration. This location on the Senate side of the U.S. Capitol is generally not open to the public. Led by Amy Burton from the Senate Curator’s Office.

This tour is now fully booked!


SCHEDULE

NOTE: All Excursions are free but SPACE IS LIMITED. You must reserve in advance when you purchase your Lowell Thomas Awards Ticket (first received, first served).

Friday, October 11

2:30 – 4:00 pm EXCURSION – Open to all; reservations required. Transportation on your own.
The U.S. Capitol BRUMIDI CORRIDORS TOUR (Fully booked)

6:30 – 10:30 pm EMBASSY RECEPTION/BUFFET DINNER
Embassy of Uzbekistan 1746 Massachusetts Ave. NW Transportation on your own (Close to Mayflower Hotel) Open to VIP Ticket Holders – Reservations required

Saturday, October 12

8:30 – 9:00 am COFFEE/TEA/PASTRIES – Open to all
National Geographic Grosvenor Auditorium Lobby

9:00 – 11:30 am AWARDEE PRESENTATIONS – Open to all
National Geographic Grosvenor Auditorium

12:30 – 4:00 pm VIP TRIBUTE AT ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY (Fully Booked)
Open to VIP Ticket Holders; reservations required. Must be on van leaving The Mayflower at 12:30 pm. Visit Explorers’ Grave Sites and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Returning to The Mayflower by 4:00 pm.

1:30 – 3:45 pm EXCURSIONS – Open to all; reservations required. Transportation on your own.

  • 1:30 – 2:20pm National Museum of Natural History’Narwhal’ (capacity 20)
  • 2:30 – 3:30pm National Museum of Natural History’HumanOrigins’ (capacity 20)
  • 2:00 – 3:00 pm Holocaust Museum (Canceled)
  • 2:00 – 3:00pm National Gallery of Art ‘Masterpiece’ Tour (capacity 20)
  • 2:00 – 3:30pm Library of CongressMap Collection (Fully Booked)
  • 2:15 – 3:45 pm National Air & Space Museum ‘Highlights’ (capacity 25)
  • 2:30 – 3:30pm National Museum of Natural History’Entomology’ (capacity 20) (Time changed from 2:00)

4:00 – 6:00 pm FREE TIME

6:00 – 7:30 pm GALA RECEPTION and SILENT AUCTION
The Mayflower

7:30 – 10:30 pm GALA DINNER and AWARDS PRESENTATIONS
KEYNOTE SPEAKER – Astronaut Kathryn D. Sullivan
LIVE AUCTION
The Mayflower

Sunday, October 13

10:45 – 11:15 am TOUR OF COSMOS CLUB
Limited roundtrip van transportation provided between The Mayflower and The Cosmos Club.

11:00 am – 2:00 pm BRUNCH AT The Cosmos Club
Limited roundtrip van transportation provided between The Mayflower and The Cosmos Club.

1:00 – 5:00 pm VIP TRIBUTE AT ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY (capacity 30)
Open to VIP Ticket Holders; reservations required. Must be on van leaving The Cosmos Club at 1 pm. Visit Explorers’ Grave Sites and The Explorers Club special wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at 3:15 pm, returning to The Mayflower by 5 pm.

2:15 – 3:45 pm EXCURSIONS – Open to all; reservations required. Transportation on your own.

2:15 – 3:45 pm National Air & Space Museum ‘Highlights’ (capacity 25)
2:30 – 3:30 pm Holocaust Museum (capacity 25)
2:30 – 3:30 pm National Gallery of Art ‘Wilderness Tour’ (capacity 20)
2:30 – 3:30 pm National Museum of Natural History Entomology (capacity 20)

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