The Record-Courier will profile the volunteer of the month in cooperation with Active Volunteers in Douglas, an organization formed to address recruitment, retention, placement, and recognition of volunteers.
Sgt. Tom Mezzetta is chairman of the organization. Anyone who wishes to nominate a volunteer, or become active with AVID, is asked to call Mezzetta at 782-9931.
Name: Irene H. Marshall
Residence: Foothill Road at the bottom of Kingsbury Grade.
How long have you lived there? Since 1991.
Where did you live before moving to your present home? Marshall family ranch on Airport Road in Minden.
How long have you been a volunteer for the Carson Valley Historical Society which includes the Carson Valley Museum & Cultural Center and the Genoa Court House Museum? I have worked at the Carson Valley Museum & Cultural Center since the museum opened in 1995-96. I worked in the gift shop for a good many years, then worked on display area. I worked on the "Barn Again" project, helping to build a barn and a display on the dairy industry.
How long have you been a volunteer overall? I moved here back in 1958 and began volunteering then when my children were in school.
Why and how did you become a volunteer? I needed something to do and I'm a patsy. Right now it's sort of my life. I worked up to five days a week this last year to get all the exhibits put up.
What is your favorite thing about volunteering? Maybe it's the camaraderie and being able to do something people enjoy looking at. I like to keep myself busy and out of trouble.
Family: My husband Pete died three years ago; daughter Joyce in Fort Worth, Texas; sons Jeff in Sparks, Craig in Dayton, and Glenn in Orangevale, Calif., four grandsons.
Former professions: Teacher, designing and sewing shearling garments through Golden Fleece of Nevada. I also sewed 250,000 seed socks for Howard Godecke's Songbird Survival Project.
What would you tell others to encourage them to become a volunteer? I think that it gives one a great pleasure doing things for other people. At the museum, we can let the new people see what Carson Valley really was all about in the beginning. We're trying to get history passed on to a new generation in this community who should know something about it.
