Mount Carmel Monastery – ‘Tis the Season for Volunteering
During the early years of the Civil War Sesquicentennial (2011-2015), my dad and I visited many Civil War battlefields and museums for the first time. After visiting the Museum of the Confederacy (MoC) where the White House of the Confederacy is located in Richmond, VA, I fell in love with Southern history and heritage. I was enthralled and engaged, but I wanted more. I had thought about volunteering and my dad even suggested I look into volunteering at the MoC, but it never came to fruition. Yet, the yearning for something more lingered.
Then, one weekend while touring Appomattox Court House, the site of the Confederate surrender, I met a man named, Jimmy. He was a Civil War re-enactor, a great storyteller, and linked to the MoC. When I told him I was thinking about volunteering there, he told me without hesitation, to do it! Jimmy’s knowledge and passion for Southern history was the impetus I needed to finally commit myself to volunteering.
I contacted the MoC about volunteering positions and eventually met with a nice man named, Bryce. After our interview, he offered me a volunteer position, to which I ecstatically accepted. And the rest they say is history. 🙂
I have been volunteering on and off for the last 4 years and it has been such a rewarding and meaningful experience. It’s probably the one job I love doing for free. 😉 I love listening to the stories visitors tell. Sometimes, though it has yet to happen in my presence, descendants of great Confederate generals will visit. J.E.B. Stuart IV is a frequent visitor and he is the spitting image of the original J.E.B. Stuart.
I also adore the staff, many of whom are friends now, like Bryce. The majority of the staff have Civil War lineage and my favorite part of catching up with them is hearing stories about their ancestors. There is even one staff member, Abdur the Sergeant Major, who is the grandson (yes, grandson!) of a Confederate officer.
I just returned from Richmond a few hours ago. I was volunteering at the annual Court End Christmas. This event offers free admission to several area museums and I highly recommend it for next year. It was a lot of fun and I did wear stiletto heels all day! 😉 I helped children make crafts and I was Santa’s helper for a bit. Then, I finished off my volunteering greeting visitors and answering their questions. More fun ensued after closing when I learned how to use a hover board, in heels I might add! Thank you, Wyatt for the lesson. 🙂 I am so grateful to be part of this group and I’m looking forward to volunteering more next year.
Have a wonderful week!
Lizzy’s Latest for this week is the Vince Camuto Nihal T-Strap. I will give my review of these pumps on Wednesday. For now, enjoy the pictures!
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