History House Museum expanding volunteer team in Skowhegan

Submitted by Melvin Burnham

A Volunteer Open House at the Skowhegan History House Museum & Research Center, 66 Elm Street, Skowhegan, has been scheduled for Wednesday, May 24, 3 – 4:30 p.m. History House veteran volunteers and folks from the Skowhegan area who would like to learn more about the Volunteer Program are invited to attend.

History House volunteers consistently make a positive impact on the museum and its patrons. They play an active role in preserving and promoting collections dating back through the late 1700s and therefore contribute greatly to our community. Volunteers learn about early Skowhegan and the citizens of the time. They make new friends, utilize existing skills and learn new ones.

Volunteers assist with visitors and tours, design and create displays, assist with clerical work, answer the phone, or conduct research. Others maintain and clean the museum, teach small groups of children about local history and historic preservation and others work directly with artifact preservation and cataloging. Some volunteers like to dedicate their time to working in the Heirloom Gardens, assisting in preparing for major projects or events, or assisting with tasks pertaining to society membership, preparing materials for distribution or mailings, creating presentations, etc.

Museum staff strives to match a volunteer’s skills and interests to meaningful and necessary tasks. We utilize the skills that talented folks bring with them and we offer training to those who wish to learn new skills.

Volunteers of all ages are encouraged to attend the Open House. We welcome volunteers of all ages including high school students who would like to explore museum science or complete community involvement requirements. Come see what we have to offer and share your talents and interests with us. More information pertaining to the program can be found at skowheganhistoryhouse.org or by contacting Kay Marsh, volunteer coordinator, 465-7458, grammy.kay.cee@gmail.com.