Museum Volunteers honored
National Volunteer week The Perfect time to recognize
These vital contributors to the Museum

With the theme, A Lonestar Inspiration, the Museum acknowledged its 130-member volunteer team during the annual Spring Volunteer Recognition on April 21.

Included in the highlights of the past year were the election of a new Volunteer Advisory Council, a variety of docent training workshops, a Volunteer Speaker Series, and the announcement that TSHM Volunteers donated more than 16,000 hours of service time to the Museum.

Volunteer to Change the World was the theme for this year's National Volunteer Week, which is sponsored by the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation and is partnered with the Points of Light Foundation and USA Freedom Corps. Those agencies honor volunteers with the President's Volunteer Service Award for volunteer service hours in a single year in the following categories:

• Gold Level (500+ hours)
• Silver Level (250-499 hours)
• Bronze Level (100-249 hours)

Thirty six TSHM volunteers earned Bronze level awards, 10 volunteers achieved Silver level recognition, and two hard-working volunteers were honored with Gold level awards.

The keynote speaker for the Spring Volunteer Recognition, Danny Webber, challenged each volunteer to continue making a difference within the local community — noting that ultimately these small acts of selflessness would collectively make a difference on a global scale.

In addition to the National Service Awards, volunteers were recognized for TSHM cumulative hour milestones — from 250 hours up to four stellar volunteers who have earned more than 2000 hours.

Also participating during the Recognition service were the University of Texas at Austin Air Force ROTC Honor Guard, and performances by the Austin Girls Choir, who not only sang the National Anthem during the presentation of colors, but a medley of traditional folk songs and a Texas Tribute. The Bowie High School Quintet performed chamber music during the reception following the awards presentation.

For more information on becoming a TSHM volunteer, click here.