Monterey Depot Museum Receives Award Of Excellence For Mary Ann Officer Video Series

Monterey Depot Museum received an Award of Excellence for Cultural Administrator Rafferty Cleary’s interview with a local centenarian.

Cleary said the three-part series came about when he learned Mary Ann Officer was about to turn 100. He said driven by his curiosity, he decided to create a three-part series asking 99-year-old Officer 99 questions.

“One of them was the mental health questions and it seems os simple but so true,” Cleary said. “Her response was to get out and do something you love. Get out and do something that makes you smile and makes you happy.”

Cleary said this is the second time in several years the Depot has received recognition from the Tennessee Association of Museums. He said the last time the depot was recognized was for Dale Welch’s program about Monterey’s history.

“We do displays all the time,” Cleary said. “But being able to tell a story and being able to use a person to share a story with their voice, those live on forever and ever and ever.”

Cleary said it feels nice to get their hard work acknowledged. He said in addition, it can help get more foot traffic into the depot museum.