Volunteer Opportunity Details:

Youth Leadership in Historic Preservation, Westerly Armory Restoration

The Youth Leadership in Historic Preservation program's mission is to introduce youth to historic architecture and artifacts to: 1) learn history in a hands-on method, 2) understand "sense of place," and 3) to carry on the preservation of things historic for future generations.

Members of this program, age 21 and under, begin with a tour of the Westerly Armory where they decide what areas interest them - as tour guide, museum cataloguer, researcher, event planner or director, media relations, website assistant, gardener, and others (see list).

Youths are paired with one or more board members and plan their work on an individual basis for time and project type. Meetings (every 90 days for the whole group) show off each youth's work. Each presents what he or she has done for the Armory. At one of the meetings during the year, a member from the Rhode Island Historic Preservation & Heritage Commission speaks to the group about what the Commission does and how it is there to protect things historic - and why.

Also during the year, youths have several opportunities to travel to other places in Rhode Island - such as Bristol, Chepachet, East Greenwich, Warren, Providence, and Newport to visit each place's historic sites. Exploration of Westerly sites is encouraged to see how all might work in some ways together to foster preservation.

Already, Westerly Armory Restoration has one high school junior and one college junior on its Executive Board and three high school students and one college student on its Advisory Board. Board membership is a special privilege for youths.

The program is open to anyone in Rhode Island who is 21 years of age or younger and who would like to experience a sense of accomplishment as well as a sense of place and who senses or sees the need to delve into something deeper. The decision to join must be solely that of each young person. Youth Leadership begins securely at the Westerly Armory and spreads its wings to other historic Rhode Island places. This is a hands-on way to learn and to use what is learned.

First year specific goals:

1. To have each youth member lead in one path; i.e., speaking before the Town Council or Finance Board on behalf of the Armory; coordinating a project such as museum cataloguing or event chairing; researching the history of artifacts, Armory, and people connected historically to the Armory; creating media contacts and media releases.
2. To include some of the youths on both Executive and Advisory boards.
3. To have the youths as a group make an important preservation decision after consultation with their mentors.
4. To take the youths to other historic sites and to a preservation conference or other related conference.
   
   

1. Cataloguing of museum items
2. Assisting in the general inventory of WAR-owned items
3. Gardening (planting, weeding, trimming, fertilizing, planning of additional shrubs and/or trees)
4. Press work (writing press releases/speaking to media people and to groups) (getting out to the public what the Armory does for its community and state in addition to announcing events)
5. Image assistance (creating ideas that would enhance the Armory's image and its use to the community and state)
6. Maintenance assistance (cleaning, polishing, vacuuming)
7. Website assistant - to help maintain the Armory's website (www.westerlyarmory.com)
8. Event planner/director creating, planning, and running events at the Armory - for educational, social, or fundraising purposes)
9. Researcher (from old pictures and photos of the Armory to information about artifacts and people represented in the museum)
10. Tour guide (learning about the Armory and being able to give tours to students, tourists, and general public)
11. Furniture restorer (from refinishing surfaces to mending chair arms and drawers)
12. Float making (planning and creating a float for the Columbus Day Parade)
13. Fundraising (assisting in raising funds for the Armory)
14. Volunteer coordinator (recruiting volunteers and maintaining a volunteer base)
15. Displays (creating historical displays for the museum and throughout the Armory)
16. Maintaining cleanliness for the Armory's yard (trash pick up on a regular basis)
17. Making presentations before councils and committees
18. Assisting in grant proposal and application writing
19. Shoveling snow from walkways to ensure safe footing
20. Creating video presentations of the Armory, its events, and related areas

Youths should be willing to learn and help and we will match them with a mentor.



This opportunity is sponsored by: Westerly Armory Restoration, Inc.

We need volunteers who are free at these times Occasional This volunteer opportunity is available to the following types of volunteers Adolescents (13-17) Young Adults (18-25) Children (5-12)

I'm interested in this opportunity

Contact Person: Roberta Mudge Humble, President, (phone), (email) View all agency contacts

Address:


P.O. Box 614 Westerly, RI 02891

Directions:

We are physically at Railroad Ave and Dixon St. from the north: Interstate 95 to Exit 1 At top of exit, turn right onto Route 3 Follow this road for about 6 miles into Westerly At top of railroad bridge is a traffic light Turn right at light onto Railroad Ave Armory is about 200 yards on the left from the south: Interstate 95 to Exit 1 to Route 3 to Westerly from South County: Route 1 South Take right onto Route 78 Take first exit off Route 78 Take left at end of exit Go straight (and thru traffic light at bridge) Armory is on the left about 200 yards after light   Nearest Bus Stop: Near Westerly Train Station, 1 minute walk

Details where opportunity can also be performed

This opportunity can also be performed in these locations:

Web Site: http://www.westerlyarmory.com

Last updated on November 28, 2009

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