|
|
|
|
|
|
5) Work The Gift Shop -- Patty Gray is the gift shop manager, and would love to have more help. Even if you work in the gift shop one day a month, it would help out.
6)
Take On An Administrative Role -- If painting and building or even cleaning is not your thing, there are several roles that don't require any of these skills, and you don't even need to live close to the museum to do it.
One job that comes to mind is
Marketing. We were discussing in the BOD meeting the other night that we had a little over 3,000 paid visitors to the museum in 2007. I understand that back in the days of the excursions trains we had nearly ten thousand visitors a year. Some of this decline is due to gas prices, and some is due to construction, but a key to marketing is that the customer has to be constantly reminded that you are there. We don't expect to see those kind of numbers again, but we should do better than three or four thousand. If you have experience with marketing, we could use your help. With the use of the internet these days you don't need to live in Bellevue or even the area to work on this.
Other administrative tasks might include membership drives, or just someone to make a few phone calls on a particular project or getting quotes.
7)
Become a Trustee or Officer - The elections are coming up in March. and there are several openings for trustees. At a minimum it only takes a few hours a month to attend the BOD meetings, and it is a great way to learn what the museum is about and how it operates. Quite frankly for a young person who is just starting out in business, it is not a bad thing to have on your resume that you are a trustee or officer of an organization like the museum. Take a leadership role, and assure success of the museum for the future.
8)
Get Your Kids Involved - If you have adult chil
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
dren, encourage them to get involved and join the museum as a member. The museum needs younger members to get involved. The future of the museum is in question if more younger people don't start participating.
10)
Volunteer Your Money - Do you have more money than time. Then volunteer your money for a specific project or task. Because of the lack of volunteers, more frequently we have to hire services to keep the museum up.
You could make a donation to provide a specific service like lawn care, insurance, drive way maintenance, or utilities.
.
One very good program is the painting of cars and engines. We try to repaint a couple of outside pieces every year. It costs several thousand dollars just to paint one engine. You could pay for a portion of that project.
Those of you with means, could also consider leaving money in your will for the museum. You can leave a lasting mark on society, and the local history of the area by remembering the museum upon your passing. Almost every year we receive some kind of charitable contribution from someone who has passed on. These are very appreciated and help with the long term financial stability of the museum.
I don't profess to put the most time or money into the museum. There are others of the dozen or so core group that put in a lot more hours than I do. But I am as busy as anyone out there, and I manage to put in four or five hours a month.
Contribute something every month ! You will meet some great people and build some lasting relationships. It's fun, it helps the museum, and you will be contributing to the preservation of the history of our community for a long time after you and I are both gone !
Dale Owens
Newsletter Editor
|
|
|
|
|
|
