PHMC Volunteers for the Year for 2022 Part 1

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Chester Kulesa
Smiling man with gray hair and glasses wearing a gray plaid blazer with white shirt and olive green tie
Chester began serving his second stint as a volunteer at the Anthracite Heritage Museum when he retired in 2016. He has provided the museum with his extensive knowledge of programming, visitor services, and curatorial expertise gained from over 40 years in the museum field. Over the past six years Chester has significantly contributed to the museum’s school tour program as a tour guide. Prior to the pandemic he contributed several hundred hours per year assisting various sections of the museum and giving guided tours. Chester’s knowledge and love of Anthracite Region history is evident in the tours he gives. His first volunteer stint began in 1981; he became curator in 1986 and site administrator in 2002, a position he held until his retirement in 2016. We are privileged to have Chester as a volunteer at the Anthracite Heritage Museum and Scranton Iron Furnaces and are grateful for his friendship, contributions, and support.

Mario Lerario
Man to right of photo wears colonial-style garb and has surveyor's equipment. Children are to left of the photo seated at a picnic table for a program.
As our newest carpenter interpreter, Mario has been a dedicated and much-appreciated volunteer since March 2022. He has participated in numerous school tours and events, demonstrating the tools and methods of carpentry in the colonial era. He has also been willing to learn more about surveying so that he can interpret this profession. Mario has helped to restore the kitchen garden at the Ring House, pulling many weeds, digging holes, and planting herbs, and he has participated in some of the house tours. Mario feels that these activities have enriched his experience and knowledge of the Park and our programs. We are grateful for his willingness to help in so many different areas of Brandywine’s programs and visitor offerings and for his support of the Board’s efforts.

Jim Comunale
Man with brown hair and mustache wearing a gray and black short-sleeved shirt stands in front of a stone wall
Jim came to Bushy Run in April of 2021 and quickly became a very dedicated volunteer, spending nearly every day at the battlefield and museum assisting in activities and attending every event and program. In 2022 Jim volunteered a total of 995 hours, making his presence at the site even more noticeable and appreciated. He maintains the Society’s two golf carts that are used for battlefield tours and serves as a tour guide. He did extensive weeding to expose the foundation of the springhouse, helps maintain the 250th monument, is a member of the education committee and book club, and has joined some field trips to learn more about American Indian culture and history relevant to Bushy Run Battlefield. Jim is the all-around volunteer on the battlefield, and he is a great asset to the Bushy Run Battlefield Heritage Society and our community. We thank him for his dedication.

Lynn Otto
Man wearing powdered wig, red waistcoat, tan coat, with a blue cravat
Lynn has been volunteering at the Conrad Weiser Homestead for over thirty years. Using his extensive network of reenactors and colonial craft demonstrators, Lynn has been the driving force behind and the organizer of living history programs at the Homestead. In the days prior to an event, Lynn can be found on site making sure everything is ready to go, and he is an expert at developing weather-related contingency plans. Lynn works to ensure that the museum bookstore is fully stocked with current publications on colonial history and American Indian culture. Whether portraying Conrad Weiser during the Candlelight Tours or working alongside his wife, Kim, demonstrating open-hearth cooking, Lynn has proven to be a man of many talents. During the COVID-related closure and when site maintenance assistance was needed, Lynn was frequently called upon to go above and beyond. He has served in various positions on the Friends’ Board of Directors and currently serves as treasurer. We thank Lynn Otto for his time, talents, and dedication to the Conrad Weiser Homestead.

Dan Snyder
Man with white hair and goatee wearing a white polo shirt
Dan began volunteering at Cornwall shortly after his retirement in 2021. He brought a great deal of knowledge with him because of his 13-year involvement in the archaeological exploration at the Elizabeth Furnace site near Brickerville. Dan started at the museum by learning how to give tours of the furnace. He often guides visitors through the museum on Sundays and during the site’s special events, such as Christmas at Cornwall, and during free visitation days. In the spring of 2022, Dan was heavily involved in the site’s annual staff and volunteer training and field trip that featured Elizabeth Furnace. He gave a well-received presentation explaining the history of the furnace and the ongoing excavation and helped lead a tour of Elizabeth Furnace and the archaeological site. In 2023, the museum’s newsletter, The Ledger, will publish an article by Dan based on his knowledge of and research on Elizabeth Furnace. Thank you, Dan, for your contributions to the work of Cornwall Iron Furnace; we look forward to many years of working with you.

There is no individual honoree for Daniel Boone Homestead for service in 2022, so we thank all of the Homestead's volunteers for their efforts.

Amber Hannold (left) and Faith Mealy
Woman with blond/brown hair and glasses wearing jeans and a gray hoodie. Woman on right with blond/brown hair, jeans and a green Drake Well polo shirt. They are measuring and cutting strips of cloth for a craft activity.
Faith and Amber have been a dedicated and dependable volunteer team at Drake Well Museum & Park since 2017, working on a wide variety of museum projects. Over the past year, they have helped with event set-up and tear-down, watched over the Museum’s front desk, served as summer camp helpers, and undertook the extensive task of inventorying and organizing the museum’s education supplies and equipment. They work as a team to effortlessly connect with a range of visitors from school children to senior citizens, many of whom have commented about their helpfulness and insights. Faith and Amber face each task with enthusiasm and a fantastic sense of humor and are the first volunteers to step up when we put out a call for assistance. They have become a vital asset to Drake Well Museum & Park, and we are extremely grateful for their contributions and service.  

Matthew Gaydos
Man wearing blue and white checked collared shirt with a beige sweater vest stands in front of a wooden door with paneling.
Having fond memories of spending time with his grandparents at their house at Eckley in the 1980s (they had lived there since the early 1900s), Matthew decided to return to his family roots and joined the volunteer corps in 2014. He quickly became an active tour guide at the museum. Matthew loves sharing his knowledge of the village and village life by including his personal experiences and talking about his grandparents’ house and way of life. He also assists during event days here at Eckley and is eager to jump in to help out where he can. In his spare time, Matthew enjoys researching topics related to the region, coal mining in particular. He uses this research to increase his own knowledge and to supplement the stories he shares with visitors and guests. We are grateful for Matthew’s dedication to sharing Eckley’s history and his family’s history with visitors and thank him for his support.