Marti Woods Joins Friends of Canaveral Board of Directors

Marti Woods recently became the newest Friends of Canaveral board member after many years of helping the nonprofit with its various events. Get to know more about Marti in her chat with board president Lisa Mickey:

Q: Where did you grow up?

A: I was born in Syracuse, N.Y., and grew up in Baldwinsville, N.Y. – a suburb of Syracuse. I didn’t have any formal education and went to work right after high school.

Q: Where did you work?

A: I worked for the Greater Syracuse Board of Realtors for a number of years, eventually becoming the executive secretary there. From there, I got my property and casualty insurance license and worked in insurance.

Q: Did you stay in that upstate area?

A: I met Fred Woods through real estate and we got married in 1977. We didn’t have children together, but I had step-children. We had a great life in the Syracuse area. My husband retired in 1991 and we moved to New Smyrna that year. We were married for 40 years. He has since passed away.

Q: What made you move to New Smyrna Beach?

A: We had good friends here. We vacationed here a lot in the late 1980s, so after we moved here in 1991, I went to work in 1992 at Groveland Citrus store in Edgewater on U.S. 1.

Q: What did you do there?

A: Everything! They were like family and we had a lot of fun. I worked mostly in the office doing clerical and inventory things because there were fruit orders coming in all the time and we shipped out of that building in Edgewater. I made sure we got our shipments out each week. They also had a gift shop, so I did a little bit of sales work there and helped order merchandise from suppliers. I worked there until 2014.

Q: How did you get connected to Canaveral National Seashore, and later, Friends of Canaveral?

A: I got involved through my longtime friend Jane Peirson, who serves on the Friends of Canaveral board. She would always call me to volunteer with Friends of Canaveral events when they needed help.

Q: What are some of the things you have helped Friends of Canaveral do?

A: I worked quite a bit when the annual New Smyrna Beach Plein Air Paint Out was run by Friends of Canaveral. I was comfortable handling money and purchases in the “wet gallery” where artists hung their fresh paintings to be sold. Of course, I have helped decorate Eldora House for the annual Holiday Open House. I also helped with some kids’ programs in the park and I volunteered with the former “Turtle Derby” fund raiser in the park when that was held. I was just a willing body available to help with whatever was needed to be done.

Q: What do you enjoy about working with Friends of Canaveral?

A: My biggest thing is just learning about Canaveral National Seashore and the involvement of the Friends group and how important it is to the park. I still have a tremendous amount to learn.

Q: You will be working a lot with Friends of Canaveral’s membership. What will you try to bring to that effort?

A: I just want to help get the word out about the Friends group and how it works with the park. My comfort zone is working with the public to understand the importance of Friends of Canaveral to our park.

Q: You are a “people person” with good skills to work with others.

A: Yes, I think so. When I worked with the real estate board, we were always working with speakers, conventions and forums and I had to introduce speakers. I always said we were shaking hands and showing a lot of teeth. My husband was involved in real estate on the state and national level and there’s a lot of politics in that, whether you like it or not. He held the office of New York State President of Realtors and we had to go to every single county board. How I presented myself was a reflection of the state office. Because of that experience, I’ve never had a problem shaking someone’s hand and engaging in a conversation.

Q: How do you feel about this opportunity to help Friends of Canaveral expand its membership and to potentially get new members involved with Canaveral National Seashore?

A: I know that it’s vital to keep the Friends group going. I don’t yet know what it’s going to take, but I want to see it continue and I know it’s important to help generate funds for programs through fund-raising events that will attract people. I will be brainstorming with others on ways to help Friends of Canaveral. Fund-raising is huge.

Q: What do you appreciate the most about Canaveral National Seashore?

A: I love everything about the park. I’m a birder, a swimmer, a nature lover, a camper – just anything that has to do with being outdoors. And in working with the park, I believe in giving back. You don’t just go through life and let everybody else do everything. I’ve always been willing to lend a hand and do what I can do to help. I want to acknowledge the members we have and somehow let them know how much we really, really appreciate them and how vital they are for Friends of Canaveral to be able to work with the park.