Get Involved
How you can help the Dorchester Historical Society
Service
Volunteering - the Society has a long history of work being performed by volunteers; in fact, the Society has no paid staff, so you could help by doing research, stuffing & labeling envelopes, by cataloging and much more.
Volunteering
There are many projects that require attention. The Society needs help at all levels from clerical work such as photocopying and mailing to making policy recommendations. Some of the broad categories where volunteers have been helpful are:
Cataloging
Gardening
Photographing Objects
Program Planning and Staging
Exhibit Design
Designing Announcements and Mailing
New recruits are always welcome. Contact Earl Taylor at ERMMWWT@aol.com
Membership - joining the Dorchester Historical Society as a member and renewing each year helps to sponsor the basic activities of the Society. Check the application form for membership categories.
Life Membership - joining as a Life Member provides the Society with a higher level of support. Many of our life members continue to give donations annually at the time of membership renewal.
Board membership - each year one-third of our directors come up for renewal, so those who are able to offer a deeper commitment to the Society may be interested in running for a position to help govern the organization.
Donating to the Society
The Society gratefully accepts donations of money toward its programs and activities at any time. Donations of books, photographs, textiles, paintings, and other artifacts are appreciated, but the Society must determine the appropriateness of the gift prior to accepting it. In general the Society accepts items that help to tell the story of Dorchester in specific and the wider context of history that has affected Dorchester. The Society can accept items unrelated to Dorchester, if you wish, with the provision that it has the right to dispose of the item by selling or other means. Each year the Society appeals to its stakeholders for donations, most often through events that allow people to enjoy themselves while supporting a good cause.
Special Projects
The Society, from time to time, engages in projects with other organizations, and sometimes requests special help with improvements to its own properties. Watch for announcements.
If you want to donate to a defined special project, or if you want to put your money toward one of our historic houses or other aspect of the Society, please contact us.
Endowment & Legacy Giving
Estate planning involves many types of financial instruments. Just remember that you can make a bequest in your will to the benefit of the Dorchester Historical Society. You can leave practically anything you own to the Society, and you can use life insurance and other means to benefit the Society. Please speak with your financial advisor and/or attorney to include provisions that are right for you as well as for the Society.
Purchasing items from our gift shop
The Society sells a number of items relating to the history of Dorchester, and the modest proceeds from the shop help to support activities and programs. Every little bit helps.
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