CHECK OUT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AT THE HOMESTEAD Please come out and check out the opportunities tomorrow. No commitment required, but come have lunch with us and take a look!

CRITZ, VA (August 11, 2009)—What is your talent that you would like to share with your community? Perhaps you have a green thumb that could create a butterfly garden for children to enjoy. Maybe you are a secret chef who would love to share your talents with the community. The Reynolds Homestead is looking for volunteers in the community who would like to share their talents with their fellow citizens and be a part of helping the Homestead grow in its services to the area. The staff will be holding a Volunteer Fair on Wednesday, August 12th from 12:00 noon until 3:00 p.m. for those interested in see what opportunities are available. “We have opportunities for just about anyone who would like to spend time here,� says Program Coordinator Lisa Martin. “Retired teachers might enjoy working with our youth programs, gardeners would enjoy working in our historic herb garden or restoring the Friendship garden, and history buffs will be excited about our plans to reconstruct a tobacco barn on the property and our plans to enhance the Cemetery of Slaves and Descendants to share that story with the community.� Those who volunteer at the Reynolds Homestead will also earn rewards for their time, says Beth Ford, historical resources assistant. “We have a reward program for volunteers based on the number of hours they serve. They can earn free tickets to events, even free rentals of the facility as their hours add up.� The Homestead offers two free trips to visit other historic sites for their volunteers also, last spring visiting Smithfield Plantation and this fall visiting Reynolda House. “These trips give us all a chance to see how other sites are doing things and to see if we can learn more to help us at the Homestead,� Ford notes. This past spring, the Homestead focused on recruiting volunteer historic interpreters for the property and the staff was very pleased with the results. “We have several interpreters now who have really added to the value of our tours,� says Ford. The historic guides volunteer on weekends and for special events to offer tours of the Rock Spring Plantation House. The Homestead now is focusing on other areas where volunteers could be crucial to programming success. “We have a very small staff here,� says Martin, “and volunteers are just essential to our being able to offer substantial and important programming to Patrick and Henry counties. Even just having someone to assist in the office when one of us is on vacation is a tremendous help.� Some areas that the Homestead staff is looking for assistance include children’s programming, gardening, research and participation in historic projects, office work, helping organize and hang art exhibitions, and even being an interpreter. “Pretty much everything we do here could use volunteer help,� says Martin. “This community is so talented and has such wonderful and giving people, I know we have something to offer most anyone looking to share with their community.� The Volunteer Fair will feature booths created by each of the staff, showing the different opportunities available at the Homestead. A light luncheon buffet will be served throughout the afternoon, so anyone interested can just come out and see what the Homestead has to offer and enjoy refreshments at the same time. The Fair will be held in the Continuing Education Center from noon until 3:00 p.m. on August 12th. Anyone interested in participating as a volunteer, but unable to attend the fair, should contact Lisa Martin at (276) 694-7181 ext. 22 or reply to this email. Lisa Martin Program Coordinator Reynolds Homestead 463 Homestead Lane Critz, VA 24082 (276) 694-7181 ext. 22