ST MICHAELS, MD – The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, Md., is looking for new volunteers to support all aspects of the museum, with free training offered for new and current volunteers throughout the spring and summer.
“CBMM would not be the success it is today without the generous commitment of our incredible volunteers,” said CBMM’s Volunteer & Education Programs Manager Allison Speight. “Whether assisting with education, exhibition maintenance, gardening, boatbuilding, administration, or in one of countless other roles, there’s an opportunity for adults of all skill and interest levels to get involved with us. It’s great to see how much joy our volunteers get from the experience of serving others.”
A Volunteer Fair is scheduled for 10am on Tuesday, February 11, 2020 to give prospective volunteers a chance to learn more about opportunities to get involved and to mix and mingle with current volunteers and staff. Anyone interested in promoting CBMM and its mission to others is encouraged to attend the Volunteer Fair. To register, visit cbmm.org/volunteerfair.
Volunteer opportunities vary based on current CBMM needs, and are assigned to align with individual interests and experiences. Key roles to be filled include administrative assistance, exhibit interpretation and guided tours, special events support, floating fleet care, and garden maintenance.
CBMM offers continuing education opportunities for all volunteers—whether current or new to the role—to develop their relevant skill sets and knowledge of Chesapeake Bay topics. Trainings have been created to accommodate those of all learning styles, with the spring training consisting of shorter training sessions, spread out across a longer period of time, while the summer training takes a more intensive approach, with fewer, but longer, sessions.
From 9:30am–noon on Thursday, February. 27, a one-day training will be held for those interested in becoming a CBMM greeter or beginning their journey as a CBMM docent. This training session will include background information on CBMM’s history, operations, and exhibitions, and will provide logistical techniques for welcoming guests to campus. This training may be right for those who enjoy meeting new people and being a friendly face or those who are interested in an interpretive role but are physically unable to lead walking tours. Another opportunity to attend this training will take place on Monday, July 27.
General Volunteer Education Training will be held from 9:30am–noon March 3, 5, 9, and 12 or over the summer from 9:30am–3:30pm on July 28 & 29. These training sessions cover topics ranging from CBMM exhibits and collections to historic people and industries of the Chesapeake Bay, and techniques for interacting with guests and handling group visitation. These sessions are open and encouraged for all volunteers to attend, regardless of the role or roles they fill as a CBMM volunteer, and are required for volunteers wishing to begin their journey as a museum docent.
New volunteer docents can then choose to attend one or more specialized guided tour training sessions, scheduled for the following weeks in either March or August. These sessions, led by CBMM’s Education team, train volunteers in the various guided tour experiences, covering everything from the Bay’s bounty to the lives of Chesapeake watermen, changing technology over time, and the plants and animals of our ecosystem.
Registration is required by contacting CBMM Volunteer & Education Programs Manager Allison Speight at aspeight@cbmm.org or 410-745-4941.
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~ Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum