There are help wanted signs all over town. Now it looks like we need a few at the Mission.
Our needs are a little different though. We need volunteers to take on some essential duties that have been managed for decades by loyal volunteers who are now considering retirement. They’re all interesting positions, some that involve a sporadic, seasonal commitment, others that are involve regular monthly or weekly duties.
Librarian – Volunteer librarian to oversee the Mission’s collection of documents, photographs, ledgers, letters and other resource materials. Because the Mission has had such a colorful and varied history, our library is diverse and always growing as new materials are discovered or donated. The library volunteer would work with John Forbes, our thirty-year historian, archivist and resident keeper of the collection. The time commitment for this position would be 4-8 hours per week.
Wagon-Master – Here’s one for the handyman with an interest in history. The Mission owns an historically-accurate replica of the wagons that carried the settlers to the western frontier. The current wagon master will gladly train the new volunteer, teach him or her the maintenance routine and remain available for future consults. This job will appeal to anyone with a strong inner-MacGyver. Wagon season runs for roughly mid-March through mid-October and involves a commitment that averages 2-3 hours a week, sometimes less, sometimes more.
Volunteer Coordinator – This one’s the Matchmaker of the Mission. There are many different opportunities and true needs for volunteers at the Mission. We need someone to keep track of those tasks and find the right volunteers for those duties. Sometimes the coordinator will need to broadly recruit volunteers; sometimes he or she just needs to pick the best person from of pool of volunteers; sometimes, it’s an exercise in scheduling and making sure that the volunteers are waiting when the school bus arrives. The goal is to make the Mission experience meaningful for every volunteer.
For more information about these positions and other volunteer opportunities, please contact Jennifer Laughlin at 913-262-0867 or submit the volunteer form on the Mission website.
