Parkwood Volunteers 2012

I was counting up the hours of contributed volunteer time yesterday and although the year has not officially ended, the amount of time donated by our volunteer corps surpasses 10,000 hours. That's 10,000 hours of interpreting McLaughlin family history to the public; condition reporting and updating collections management records; cups of tea and scones served; special events organised and executed; walls washed and silver polished; floors waxed and buffed; gift shop merchandise priced; gardens weeded and watered and clocks wound and worked on. What amazes me is that these 10,000 hours are achieved with rarely a grumble and often a very vocal thank you to me for allowing people to volunteer at Parkwood and experience what a gem of Canadian heritage this National Historic Site is.

2012 was not without its challenges to the volunteer either. Much of our year and regular operation was disrupted by film production. Disruption that was welcome and sought by management, since those who follow our blog understand the financial necessity of filming at the site, but this limits the amount of time that I am able to dedicate to the important part of the volunteer experience, retention. Although the parking lot was filled with transport trucks, lighting cranes, generators and the mansion filled with equipment, 100 extra people, cardboard protection and mats, our volunteers rallied and continued to offer the best "experience" for the visiting public.  

 

They perservered and met each Tuesday and Thursday for croquet matches, continued to attend their regular volunteer shifts, often parking off site, or arranging for drop offs and pick ups to avoid film crew vehicles, and even covered our reception duties when our small staff was pulled into the fray of film production hours and needs.



The volunteers embraced the creation and put up with the floundering Museum Morsels, our historic culinary club, now in full swing, but were patient as I slowly pulled it together despite overnight shifts, with on again, off again enthusiasm (on my part) for the project. Their attendance to our sessions, where we delved into food and social history (they all know my area of passion) reignited my personal interests and zest for the program amongst the craziness that surrounded us. Their combined excitement for the goals I established when I set out to create this program has generated a keenness among the corps that it is hard not to be caught up in their eagerness to experience food history.

Over the last few quiet days at Parkwood, I have been working on my volunteer programs, you remember, the retention pieces I neglected in 2012, and I am very energized about what 2013 will have in store for Parkwood NHS and the 160 dedicated volunteers we boast about with frequency.