The inspiration of and appreciation for Walt Disney knows no boundaries. The membership at The Walt Disney Family Museum certainly reflects this diversity. Each month, we’ll introduce you to one of our Members, so you can see the varied and frequently fascinating people, who have come together to learn and experience more about the life, work, philosophies, and ideals of Walt Disney. This month, we’d like you to meet the Mahnke-Baum family!
Sarah Mahnke-Baum--a 12-year-old 7th grader at Katherine Delmar Burke School--is an aspiring pageant girl who has been to Disneyland more times that any other girl in her class. Sarah is also a Girl Scout, hoping to get her Girl Scout Silver Award by developing a badge program for Scouts to earn a badge while visiting The Walt Disney Family Museum.
Marc Baum is a professional musician and has another membership to the Bohemian Club. He is a huge Donald Duck fan and understands why Donald is so angry all the time as he is constantly living in Mickey's shadow.
Judith Mahnke is a San Francisco teacher for 27 years at Raoul Wallenberg Traditional High School . Judy thinks The Walt Disney Family Museum is the jewel in the treasure chest that is the Presidio, "What a gift the museum and the Presidio are for San Francisco!"
Over 70 of Judy's students applied to volunteer at The Walt Disney Family Museum this summer to fulfill their 100 hours of community service.
Why did you become a member of the Walt Disney Family Museum?
We went with friends shortly after the opening of the museum. We knew immediately that we would be spending lots of time there when we saw how many wonderful programs the museum offered.
In an attempt to make our daughter Sarah a lifelong learner, we wanted her to be aware of how an education outside of school can be had. What could possibly be of more interest to a child than everything that is Walt Disney? She attends the lectures and programs and has become a young scholar on the subject of Disney.
What do you find the most enjoyable about your membership?
We have never had a membership in a museum that had such a sense of community among the other members. The staff is so warm and personable we always feel not only welcome as a guest, but part of the community that makes the museum what it is. It is not just the staff that creates this tribute to Walt Disney it is the devoted members. The staff has established an atmosphere that promotes this shared interest of the members to be part of the museum. We really feel like the staff cares that we are there.
Our daughter Sarah had to write a paper for school about what is a "home away from home" for her. She wrote about the Disney Museum being her home away from home.
We have had many dealings lately with the National Park and have gotten to know several rangers. The staff at The Walt Disney Family Museum has that same sense of stewardship for the legacy of Walt Disney as the rangers do for our parks. So in our house I have named the staff Walt's Rangers.
What do you enjoy most about the Museum?
There are so many different events, lectures and activities we are there at least once a month. Sometimes more than once in a weekend. The top event so far was the first Mad Hatter Tea Party. The food was fabulous. The room was beautiful. The guests picked the winners of the costume contest. It was very touching to see who was picked by their fellow members. That is when I realized what a special group the members are. And it was perfect that we got to see the movie.
How does Walt Disney inspire you?
Sarah has named her bunny "Oswald" and he truly is a "lucky rabbit" having full run of the house. When I asked Sarah this question she said, "Disneyland is the only amusement park that seems magical. All the other theme parks seem like they are just trying to one up each other. Disneyland does not need to because it is the best by far."
What was your first Disney inspiration or memory?
Every time I walk into Disneyland and read Walt's words, “To all who come to this happy place, welcome." I tear up. When my best friend was battling cancer our group of friends was discussing how bad it was. One person asked, "Well is it time for us all to go to Disneyland?" Because of course that was something we were all going to have to do together before the end.
When we went to Disneyland Paris it was just okay. I thought about it and what was missing. For me there was no spirit of Walt there. They copied what they could, but it still was not Walt.
Anything else you would like to share about yourself?
Judy's first visit to Disneyland was on the day her family drove to California from New Orleans in 1971. Her family was moving here, and they chose Disneyland as their first stop.