Attendance declines

July 19, 2008 06:12 am

— I wish to amend a statement I made concerning the attendance of bus tours at Slifer House Museum, Lewisburg, following the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001.
During that summer, we hosted an average of 304 visitors per month (June, July and August). In September, our attendance normally drops (schools and colleges are back in session). However, that year, our visitation dropped to just 81 people. I can only assume that this was due, in part, to the tragedy and the reluctance of people to travel during that critical period. In October, we rebounded to 413 visitors, which included bus tours scheduled by Landmark Tours, a local motorcoach facilitator. October is normally busy with scheduled fall foliage tours. My statistics indicate that we hosted seven bus tours. Seventeen had been scheduled and ten cancelled, some of them undoubtedly due to the tragedy. Our visitation just a year before in October 2000 was 694, suggesting a 41.5 percent decrease. Our visitation plummeted once again in November 2001, with only 23 visitors.
For me to state that we lost every bus tour was an exaggeration. I was speaking extemporaneously without benefit of any prepared notes during the telephone interview. I regret the error and apologize for any false impression it may have created.
I would encourage everyone to support local museums, historical societies or attractions. We are less than a gas tank away and have a lot to offer.
Gary W. Parks,
Lewisburg
n Gary W. Parks is museum director at Slifer House Museum, Lewisburg.