Trailheads: Volunteers of the Year!

Looking for something to do this weekend? Be sure to visit the April program page for ideas.

We've come to the end of National Volunteer Week and the middle of National Volunteer Month, so let's take a look at how sites on the Trails of History are celebrating. A number of sites are highlighting their volunteers on social media - so far I've seen posts from Ephrata Cloister, Hope Lodge, Pennsbury Manor, PA Trails of History, Railroad Museum of PA, State Museum of PA, and Washington Crossing Historic Park.

Honorees, presenters, and guests, April 9, 2016 (photo by Don Giles)

On Saturday, April 9, we gathered at the State Museum of Pennsylvania to honor all PHMC volunteers and to recognize the Volunteer of the Year honorees for service in 2015. Despite the April snow that kept some attendees from making the trip to Harrisburg, it was a festive day. There were many smiling faces as we celebrated the diversity of contributions made by volunteers to the sites on the Trails of History. PHMC Executive Director James Vaughan and Commissioner Fredrick Powell presented each honoree with a resolution from the PHMC, a volunteer pin, and a one-year complimentary membership in the Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation. Citations were read by Brenda Reigle, director of the Bureau of Historic Sites and Museums, and Beth Hager, interim director of the State Museum. Following a light lunch, many of the attendees enjoyed touring the State Museum with Dr. Curt Miner, curator, and volunteer coordinator Amy Jukus.

The honorees are pictured below, and there is a link for each so that you can read more about their activities. Please join me in congratulating them and thanking them for their support of PHMC's historic sites and museums.