“Daunting” is a good word.
Daunting does well to describe the president’s position with Oglebay Institute, and that’s because the job completely concerns a dedication to the arts, to nature, and to the history of the Wheeling area. But, please realize, with that allegiance comes mansions, museums, a theatre, and a nature center to manage, maintain, and preserve.
There are more than 40 employees on six staffs working at five different locations and a 21-member board of trustees, and there are public class sessions nine months per year on everything from acting and woodcarving to tumbling and jewelry making. Oglebay Institute, now in the midst of a $4.4 million Capital Campaign, has camps for kids, painting and pottery instruction for adults, and one event after another at the Towngate Theatre, the Stifel Arts Center, or the Schrader Nature Center.
And every brick and bottom line, and all the windows of every kind, it all falls on Danielle Cross McCracken because THAT’S her job. Danielle was named president in February 2015 and since has navigated the historic non-profit to growth despite the pandemic. She’s the gatekeeper and the caretaker of an organization founded 93 years ago, and thanks to her, her team, and hundreds of volunteers and donors, Oglebay Institute remains a prized and popular pillar of the Upper Ohio Valley community.
So yes, daunting is a very good word.
Why have you always been infatuated with the sea?
I was born in June and my zodiac sign is Cancer, a water sign, so perhaps it is just in my nature. I have always loved the water – especially the ocean, but I also enjoy being near a lake, creek, or river. I just find being on the water very peaceful.
Some of my best memories have been near the ocean, especially time with at the Outer Banks in North Carolina, a several decade long traditions for me and my family. I also enjoy cruises and someday would love to take a houseboat vacation on Lake Powell or somewhere out West.
Which one of your Facebook photos displays one of the best meals you have ever made?
I love to cook and try new recipes. This photo is of my first attempt at short ribs that I made for a Sunday dinner with my dad and sons. It really was delicious, and I am looking forward to making it again now that the cooler weather is upon us.
One of my goals is to learn how to cook Thai food as it is my favorite.
Of all the Halloween costumes you’ve worn during your lifetime, which is your all-time favorite, and why?
I think my favorite costume was when I was a hippopotamus back in elementary school. My great aunt Clara was a wonderful seamstress and whenever I needed a costume made my mom ask her to help. The hippo costume was super creative, and I especially remember she used a football helmet that she covered with fabric for the head.
She actually made it for me for a school play where I was one of the animals on Noah’s Ark. I very well could have worn it for Halloween too, but it’s a little too far back for me to remember for sure J.
What is the best sound in the world?
The best sound in the world hearing my kids say, “Hey mom.”
Now that my boys are both in college, I don’t hear it as often as I used to, but I am blessed that they touch base frequently by phone or text. They bring me so much joy and I love talking to them about big and small things alike.
Next in line would be the sounds of the ocean and an evening rainstorm.
What is your favorite “thing” Oglebay Institute offers to the residents of the Upper Ohio Valley?
I think one of my favorite things Oglebay Institute offers is “connection,” especially during this time in the world when there is so much division, sadness, and disconnection.
Through the various Oglebay Institute venues – the Stifel Fine Arts Center, the School of Dance, the Schrader Environmental Educational Center, the Towngate Theatre, the Museums of Oglebay Institute, as well as in schools and outreach programs in the community, we give people of all ages, abilities, and income levels, the opportunity to unplug, learn, connect, be entertained and inspired. We strive to provide an inclusive and supportive environment through all we do, and I believe these offerings are key to positive physical and mental health.
One of the programs that I will always remember was one that we held in conjunction with our “Art and Aging Exhibit” at the Stifel Fine Arts Center. We brought Gary Glazner, a poet who founded the Alzheimer’s Poetry Project in New York, to Wheeling and he worked with our Stifel team, a group of high school students, and residents of Wheeling Hospital’s Continuous Care Center to create poetry together.
The intergenerational connection was incredibly beautiful. I will never forget the genuine smiles and connection that I witnessed that day. So often I hear patrons, especially young people and/their parents, say that Oglebay Institute has helped them, or their children find “their place.”
Knowing that what we do helps people feel accepted, respected, more confident, and inspired makes me very proud. I am so grateful for my amazing team and the support of the community who make this all possible.
