Volunteers are always needed at the Middletown Historical Society, which helps bring the Town's past alive.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Matt Sheley at (401) 712-2221 or msheley@middletownri.com
HELP PRESERVE MIDDLETOWN’S PAST –
VOLUNTEER WITH THE MIDDLETOWN HISTORICAL SOCIETY
MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (JULY 13, 2021) – Interested in helping preserve Middletown’s past and learning all sorts of fascinating tidbits about the community?
Try volunteering with the Middletown Historical Society.
Whether it’s helping with archiving or maintaining exhibits to growing the membership numbers or pushing out publicity, historical society officers said the nonprofit organization is always on the lookout for interested and dedicated residents to help.
To get involved, call the society at (401) 849-1870 or send a message to history@middletownhistoricalsociety.org via email. The group’s website is https://www.middletownhistoricalsociety.org online.
“What we do here helps set the foundation, the base for what it means to be a Middletowner,” society President Mary Dennis said. “When you don’t know who you are or where you’ve been, there’s sort of a void there and we’re looking to help fill that.”
Based out of the former Paradise Schoolhouse in Paradise Valley Park on Prospect Avenue, the historical society works without much fanfare to promote Middletown’s past.
The group operates three properties: the Paradise Schoolhouse, Boyd’s Mill in Paradise Valley Park as well as the Witherbee School at the corner of Green End Avenue and Valley Road.
Contrary to the perceptions of some, Middletown was about much more than farming historically. Dennis and others said the community has a rich, vibrant past that has been underappreciated for too long.
Instead of sitting back and letting those perceptions rule the day, Dennis said the society has ramped up its efforts to stress the uniqueness and distinct town known as Middletown.
“We cover everything from the very beginnings of Middletown to how the community evolved, the Navy, who these people were,” Dennis said. “It’s all very interesting and done in a way that it’s accessible to everyone.”
The Paradise Schoolhouse is open Wednesdays from 10 a.m. – noon. Between June 27 through early October, the facility is also open Sundays from 2-4 p.m. There is no entry fee to visit the historical society, but donations are appreciated. To contribute, visit https://www.middletownhistoricalsociety.org/contact online.
Dennis said there were several benefits of adding new faces and voices to the historical society. For one, it helps the organization accomplish more and broaden its reach. She said it also helps expand the group’s horizons and perspectives.
“This (the Paradise Schoolhouse) is our museum and people have been really wonderful at giving their time and making this the place it is today,” Dennis said. “It’s like that with all our properties and everything we do. Without our volunteers, we’d be nothing.”
“As a volunteer, I feel like I take away so much more from the experience than what I put into it,” added Anna Hallett, a member of the society’s board who assists with public relations. “Every time I’m here, I feel like I learn so much about the people and this place I call home. It’s just an amazing group and one I’m proud to be part of.”
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