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Volunteers are a crucial part of operations at the
Bootheel Youth Museum. The exhibit hall requires at least 5-7
volunteers for each shift to help with museum visitors. We also
need volunteers to help with workshops and other programs or
events.
Volunteers will be asked to complete a training session and
sign up to work in the main exhibit hall at their convenience.
BYM Volunteer of the Year Named
Courtesy of Delta News - Citizen
by Lorraine Heiser - Associate Editor
Liz Provance - 2003 Ernest Miles Volunteer of the Year.
Joni Duck - 2003 Youth Volunteer of the Year. |
Sunday was a special day for Bootheel Youth Museum volunteers, staff and guests as
the museum celebrated its seventh annual Volunteer Appreciation Day.
With eager anticipation, an audience that filled the museum’s Provance Theater to
capacity awaited the announcement of the winners of the 2003 Volunteer of the Year awards
for youth and adults.
The youth volunteers of the month were introduced by the museum’s executive director,
Patsy Reublin. Those awarded certifi cates were Jerika Phelps, Elaina Phelps,
Savanah Phelps, Shane Scott, Brooke Darnell, Jill Darnell, Adam Stone, Sara
Blake, Andrea Provance, Derek Provance, Ashli Wallace and Joni Duck.
In announcing the 2003 Youth Volunteer of the Year, Reublin said, “This
year the award winner has been active in a huge amount when she was in junior
high and has been a participant in our player’s troupe and different activities.
She also helped this year on July 4th. She’s had kind of a rough year this year
and we just wanted to take a minute to recognize her. So, the staff decided she
would be our award representative.”
Joni Duck was the award recipient. Previous winners include Teri Hubachek,
Danielle Cooper and Jill Darnell.
Reublin also had the honor of announcing the winner of the 2003 Ernest
Miles Volunteer of the Year Award. She noted there are so many volunteers in this category that
each month the staff selects two volunteers of the month. Called forward to receive certifi cates
in recognition of that honor were Maurica Turner, Flo Bennett, Lee French, (the late) Pat Sale,
Carol Demaree, Doris Burge, Nancy Wilkerson, Pat Morehead, Earlene Bailey, Anah Moore,
Guy Pinckley, Buck Provance, Jane Provance, Liz Provance, Karen Green, Claudine Pinckley,
Steve Wallace, Dave Green, Trisha’s Catering, the Lambert, Hymel and Ory families, David
Black, Angie French, Sara Woolverton and Tinou Hampton.
Before announcing the adult volunteer of the year, Mitch Green, president of the BYM
board, explained the importance of that award. The Ernest
Miles Volunteer of the Year award is named after one of the
museum’s fi rst -- and most dedicated -- volunteers. He was
involved in all phases of the museum’s construction and
improvements during its fi rst years. As Green noted, he was
the consummate volunteer. If he saw something that needed
to be done, he did it, whether it be making repairs in the
museum or picking up litter outside.
Previous winners of the award include Greg Hampton,
Verlene Provance, Nancy Wilkerson, Bob Keathley and
Patricia Morehead. “The person getting this year’s award is like Robin Hood with her merry men (or women).
She was integral in doing the Mardi Gras celebration this year and helped raise over $27,000
for the museum. Her merry men, as well as herself, didn’t really go out and rob people of
their money, but they brought in a lot,” said Reublin in announcing Liz Provance as the
recipient of the 2003 Ernest Miles Volunteer of the Year.
Both volunteers of the year also were presented with framed resolutions recognizing their
efforts on behalf of the Museum. Otto Bean, Jr., state representative for the 163rd District,
made the presentations of the House resolutions, while Rob Mayer,
standing in for Missouri Senator Bill Foster, presented the Senate
resolutions.
There also were a few other announcements made along
the way. In welcoming everyone, Green reported the museum
remains overwhelmingly popular. Over 24,000 visitors came to
the museum last year alone, bringing the total number of visitors
since its opening in March of 1996 to 158, 524.
On behalf of the board, he expressed his appreciation to all the
volunteers -- those who serve on the board, who make cookies and
serve for special events, who maintain the museum’s website, who
work the fl oors during fi eld trips and special events, who fill in for
staff, who help in the office and who build things.
“If there’s any interest you might have in doing something for the youth museum, believe
me, there’s something here that can be done that will be a lot of fun,” Green encouraged.
Current volunteers come from Malden, Dexter, Bloomfi eld, Kennett, Bernie, Campbell,
Clarkton, Parma and other surrounding towns.
“Volunteers are crucial to the museum,” he continued. “The money we get keeps the doors
open, but if we have that money and no volunteers to spend the time doing all the things we
talked about, it still can’t work.
Reublin added a note or two of her own, telling the crowd about some of the programs
sponsored by the Missouri Arts Council. She also explained a new exhibit the museum
is working on with a $15,000 grant recently received from the Missouri Department of
Conservation for a Lewis & Clark project. The project selected will be a life-size game -- a
river that visitors will follow.
“You’ll be your own pawn -- your own game piece,” she said. In announcing the latest
exhibit project, she asked for help in designing and building it.
Entertainment also was on the agenda and no one in the audience was disappointed.
Malden’s Miss 4th of July Jocey Kendrick, as Reublin described,
wore out hands and arms as the audience clapped to a pair of
clogging numbers, including the dance she will perform as she
represents Malden in the Miss Missouri contest in a few months.
Kendrick also talked about her platform, acting with kindness
including an anti-bullying program, as a Miss Malden/Missouri
participant. Malden’s reigning Miss Pre-Teen Fourth of July
Taylor Miller, a native of Malden, regaled the audience with her
vocal talents, including some classic yodeling.
Representing the entire Bootheel Region, the Heartland
Children’s Choir, directed by Maria Chamberlain of Dexter, also
performed. Participants are among the area’s most talented singers
and put on a wonderful performance despite only a few months of practice.
Volunteers receive resolutions
recognizing their efforts. Left, Rob
Mayer, Liz Provance, Joni Duck and
State Rep. Otto Bean.
Heartland Children’s
Choir directed by Maria
Chamberlain of Dexter.
http://www.bootheelyouthmuseum.org
BYM Youth Volunteers Make an Impression at
State Capitol
 A group of Bootheel Youth Museum Youth Volunteers (pictured
at the State Capitol, above) traveled to Jefferson City
to meet with legislators. The youth were invited to the capitol
by State Sen. Bill Foster, R-Poplar Bluff. "The kids were very
professional and did a great job representing the BYM and the
City of Malden," said Director Patsy Reublin. "The visibility
the kids brought to the museum was phenomenal, there is no way
I could have made the kind of impression these young people
have."
In the photo above are Jimmy Phelps, Jill Darnell, Jane Provance,
Derek Provance, Ashlie Wallace, Patty Phelps, Andrea Provance
and Steve Wallace. Below, Ashley Wallace, Andrea Provance and
Derek Provance meet with Rep. Lanie Black.
Here is Director Patsy Reublin's account
of what proved to be a fascinating trip for the BYM youth:
BYM Youth Wow Missouri
Legislature
"While attending the opening of the BYM's This Island Mars exhibit, State Sen. Bill Foster
noticed what a great job the youth volunteers were doing and
asked if we would bring them up so he could introduce them to
the Senate. He specifically asked that we have them dress in
their astronaut gear. One of the reasons the kids helped with
the grand opening was because they had been to space camp.
"The trip was set for Feb 6th -- the week after the Columbia
tragedy. I went up the day before to work with the Missouri
Arts Council so I got a chance to meet with all our legislators.
While I was up, I spoke with Rep. Denny Meredith from Caruthersville,
and he offered to introduce the kids to the House.
 "Sen. Foster introduced the kids to the Senate and Rep. Denny
introduced the kids to the House. The house was much more casual
and children of representatives from throughout the state came
over and asked our youth questions and shook their hands.
"When it was time for Rep. Denny to introduce our youth, one
of the representatives told him to wait a minute and he would
have the Speaker call the House to order. This was a big deal,
since they were in the process of introducing guests and made
a special point to get all the representatives' attention.
"Rep. Denny spoke very eloquently about how timely the visit
was because of the Columbia tragedy. He talked about how the
children were not just representing the BYM but showing their
support for NASA.
"The House gave them a standing ovation. It was pretty special.
They brought us more visibility in one afternoon than I could
have done in two weeks.
"As an example I recently had a staff member call one of our
representatives, and when she explained she was with the Bootheel
Youth Museum in Malden, Missouri, there was dead air on the
other end of the phone until we explained we were there with
the youth astronauts. The reaction changed immediately as the
person on the other end of the phone remembered our visit, saying
the kids were so great people are still talking about them.
"The kids also got a tour of the capitol building and went
all the way to the top of the dome."
Volunteer
Appreciation Day
March 2, 2003
Pat Morehead accepts the Ernest Miles Volunteer of the Year
Award. With her are Directory Patsy Reublin and Board President
Mitch Green.
Below, Jill Darnell, center, accepts the Youth Volunteer
of the Year Award.
 The
BYM staff and board of directors know how important our volunteers
are to the museum. We also recognize that their time and work
often go unrecognized. So, we are taking this opportunity to
show our appreciation for a tremendously talented group of people.
Please take a moment during your visit to talk to a BYM volunteer
and thank them for their continued support. This event was held
to recognize and honor BYM volunteers and to make sure they
are aware that we know they are the lifeblood of the museum
and to acknowledge their service to Southeast Missouri.
We Want You!
There are many different opportunities to volunteer at the
Bootheel Youth Museum. We are always willing and needing to
take more. If you are interested in being a volunteer, please
call the museum at 573-276-3600.
Volunteer News
by Carol Demaree
Volunteering can be rewarding, interesting, helpful and fun.
Come join us at the museum, or if not here, somewhere.
There are many ways to be of service to the museum. The first
Wednesday of each month at 11 a.m. we have a business meeting,
then have a brown bag luncheon. You can come for the meeting,
the lunch, or both. Some of the things we do during the month
are: paint, make crafts for the gift shop, organize areas, clean,
work the exhibit hall, help with the traveling museum, workshops
and theater, do inventories or mailings and, in some instances,
have projects we do at home. It's a great opportunity to meet
new people and feel the satisfaction of filling a need. You
have been involved!
Since opening in 1996, over 130,000 people have come through
the doors of the BYM to see the exhibits, see the plays, musicals,
puppet shows, storytellers, participate in workshops, Kids'
Camp, the St. Louis Science Center programs, etc. During 1998
alone, for example, some 140 volunteers assisted with over 4,234
hours donated which amounts to over $22,000 worth of their time.
The exhibits, the theater, the gazebo at the outdoor classroom
are among the new activities and projects in which volunteers
have been involved.
Something to think about:
- There are those who make things happen.
- There are those who see things happening.
- Then, there are those who wondered how it ever happened,
Don't wait to be asked -- volunteer.
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