BRUNSWICK — Pejepscot Historical Society will hold an open house for volunteering opportunities Saturday, March 30.
The information session includes refreshments, an overview of volunteer positions and resource materials, conversations with veteran volunteers in various aspects of the organization, and brief site tours.
The society seeks volunteer docents, or tour guides, for its two historic house museums, the Joshua L. Chamberlain Museum and Skolfield-Whittier House, as well as volunteers to work in the offices, collections and doing light carpentry and maintenance.
“Like many nonprofits, we really would not exist but for the passion and commitment of thousands of volunteers over the decades,” Executive Director Larissa Vigue Picard said. “Their contributions are priceless.”
Prospective volunteers are encouraged to attend the open house for an opportunity to sign up for follow-up orientation and training sessions with more in-depth museum tours specific to their interest. The sessions will be scheduled according to volunteer availability.
Docents receive a training manual and must shadow experienced guides in the spring before leading their own tours. Both house museums open on Memorial Day Weekend and are open through the fall. Standard tours are 45 to 60 minutes in length.
Docents must have an interest in history, a desire to work with the public and people of all ages, good presentation skills, and be able to climb stairs and be on their feet for at least an hour at a time.
Volunteers in the society offices, collections and for buildings and grounds work must be enthusiastic about local history and supporting a community organization. Volunteer options in these categories include light carpentry and maintenance projects, organizing collection items and working on exhibits, digitization collections and updating the database, and assisting with programs and promotion. Such work can start immediately following the orientation session.
All volunteers receive free admission to the museums, free access to archival research, a T-shirt or baseball cap and an invitation to an annual volunteer celebration.
For more information on volunteering, visit pejepscothistorical.org/about-us/volunteer.
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