Volunteer at the Pratt Museum

The Pratt Museum is seeking volunteers and docents for the 2011 season. Volunteering is a great way to support your community museum. Opportunities include gallery hosts, retail associates, marine gallery and homestead gallery hosts. If you have ever thought of volunteering in your community, this is a perfect opportunity to get involved. We hope to see you soon!

Goodbye Cowboy

Colin (Cowboy) McCarty hauled anchor and set sail for uncharted waters on July 4, 2011. Cowboy started out at the Pratt as an employee and then became a treasured volunteer, working the gift shop, and the admissions desk. He was also a talented docent, and led harbor tours and hosted the Marine Gallery. Cowboy loved adventure, and lived life fully. Cowboy could regale listeners with tales from his rodeo day, his commercial fishing exploits, and his adventures sailing from the Aleutians to Mexico. As a school teacher, he worked to reach out to kids and help at-risk youth reach their potential. His enthusiasm, generosity, and caring spirit touched us all. He always took the time to check in with staff to see what was new and to keep a personal connection. The board, staff, and volunteers were so fortunate that Cowboy loved the Pratt. He is, and will be, missed.

Thank You, Edna!

EdnaEdna Farsdahl has retired from her position as the Pratt Museum’s Marine Gallery docent, where she volunteered for 26 years. Edna considered her position as volunteer more than a hobby; she considered it her job. As such, she rarely missed a day of work, whether it was summer or winter.

 During her time at the Pratt, Edna put together a scrapbook for each year. She carefully clipped 20+ years of newspaper articles from the Anchorage and Homer papers. These scrapbooks are a treasured piece of the Museum’s history.

Edna was born in 1913 on a 160 acre farm in North Dakota. After graduating from high school, she moved to Portland, Oregon, where she attended Pacific University for two years. In 1940 Edna was offered a job as cook at the Haines House Orphanage in Haines, Alaska, and in 1941she enrolled at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, where she graduated with a BA in history. Edna was the only woman in her graduating class. In 1946, she married James Farsdale and raised their family in Fairbanks. Edna taught school in North Pole for almost 20 years. After Jimmy died in 1975, she relocated to Homer to be with her daughter, Renee.

Edna is well-traveled: She has traveled to Egypt, climbed the Great Pyramid, toured Machu Piochue in South America, made several trips to India, where she saw the Taj Mahal, and has toured Europe on several occasions. Her last big trip was to Tibet in 1993. Today Edna says, “No more traveling for me. I am content to live in my cabin with my grandson. Alaska has been very good to me. I don’t want to go anywhere else.  Alaska is my home.”

Volunteerism in our community has been an essential part of the formation and continuity of the Pratt Museum. The Board, staff and volunteers of the Pratt Museum have been honored to be the recipients of Edna’s distinguished service as a docent.

2011 Volunteer Recognition

DIRECTOR’S CHOICE, VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
Dolores Butler has been involved with the Pratt since 1994. Currently, she volunteers in the Marine Gallery every Tuesday, all year long. Dolores is great at engaging children in learning about intertidal creatures as they feed the fish together on these Tuesdays. A knowledgeable birder, she also does a fantastic job interpreting the SeeBird Cam during the summer. Dolores has been asked to help docent various school groups, and she does so with patience, grace and knowledge. Dolores also helps with special events; in fact, she is always there to help out when we have asked her. Dolores is very dependable and professional, notifying Pratt staff well in advance if she will be unable to do her shift – or graciously filling an extra shift, when she is asked to do so.

VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR
Nelda Osgood, author of Binoculars In Our Kitchen, began volunteering at the Pratt in 2009, coming to work every Sunday and serving as the Marine Gallery Docent. She grew up in Kodiak, where she spent much time on the water, so working in the Marine Gallery was an assignment she has performed confidently and capably during her tenure at the Museum. Last summer, Nelda devoted every Tuesday to working at the Admit Desk. Because nine Tuesdays during this past summer were cruise ship days, she was often very busy with busloads of people arriving all at once. Nelda can answer any question that tourists pose to her about the Homer area because she and her husband Jon owned and operated Tutka Bay Lodge for 26 years. Zelanna Copsey, Nelda's sister, volunteered in the Museum Store during the 2010 summer season, where she organized and created displays that showcased Alaskan-made objects, books, toys and gifts. Her cheerful and helpful attitude helped Pratt’s visitors enjoy themselves during their visits to the store. Because, like her sister, Zanny is well-versed in the marine and plant life of Alaska, she was a valuable resource to these visitors. Zanny has been a delightful addition to our Museum’s frontline staff. These two women provided such great support to the frontline staff they became true co- workers. We don’t know what we would have done without them.

STUDENT VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
Savanna Bradley has worked at the Pratt for several years on a regular basis and has had many roles as a museum volunteer: currently as part of the collections team and assisting with special exhibits, like Living by the Tides and Landscapes; as interpreter for the Pratt’s Live BearCam Program in the Stewardship Gallery; and also as one of the Pratt’s 2004 Summer Science Youth Interns. Savannah has participated in many cultural and natural history projects, including helping to organize the Facing the Elements Outdoor Exhibit and leading youth activities such as peer-led projects for middle school students. In addition to her educational roles, she has gained valuable experience as a tour leader in the Pratt Museum’s botanical garden, and as a docent in the Pratt’s historical Homestead Cabin. Her professionalism, strong work ethic and positive attitude make her an invaluable asset to our Museum.

 

2010 Volunteer Recognition
Michael Craig and Collin "Cowboy" MacCarty

The Volunteer of the Year award for 2009 went to Michael Craig.  Michael served three terms on the Board of Directors, both as President and as Treasurer. In addition to the volunteer work he performed on the Board, Michael visits the Museum twice a week for fish maintenance and has been doing this extra volunteer work for many years. During the six-month search for new Director/CEO Diane Converse, Michael served countless hours as the Search Committee's Chair in addition to his service on the Board and his commitment to the Marine Gallery.

M&P

Collin MacCarty, "Cowboy," took home the Director’s Choice Award.  Cowboy was an employee at the Pratt for several years before he started helping out whenever and wherever asked as a volunteer. A talented docent, Cowboy leads harbor tours, hosts the marine gallery, volunteers in the store, and for special events. He always takes the time to check in with staff to see what's new and to keep a personal connection. The consummate story teller, he can regale visitors and staff alike with tales from his rodeo days to his commercial fishing exploits -- all equally fascinating! We are lucky to have him as one of our valuable volunteers!

Cowboy

How to Volunteer
If you are interested in volunteering, please email info@prattmuseum.org

Volunteer Orientation
During the last week of April, the Pratt hosts a Volunteer Orientation to prepare for the busy summer season. The purpose of this orientation is to educate people about the many volunteer opportunities available at the Museum. Coffee, pastries, and the chance to meet and visit with Pratt staff are all part of Orientation Day. Be sure to check our calendar for the next event. We hope to see you there!

How to Become a Docent
Current volunteers who are interested in becoming a docent need to attend Docent Training. Email education@prattmuseum.org to learn more.