NEVADA CITY, Calif. June 12, 2019 – The old adage, “be careful what you wish for, you just might get it” has played out at the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum with visitor attendance exceeding all expectations. It’s exactly what was wished for, but additional volunteer docents and gift shop workers as well as restoration shop and railbus crew are needed to keep up with what is anticipated to be a very busy, fun, and productive summer season.
In conjunction with its participation in the Nevada County Historical Society’s 75th anniversary celebration on Saturday, June 22, the NCNGRR Museum will hold a Volunteer Open House from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to connect with those interested in becoming involved in the community, sharing skills, and enriching their lives through volunteering. No specific previous experience is required, just a team-player mentality with a positive attitude and a willingness to get involved. Several areas of opportunity are available.
Docents provide tours of the museum, restoration shop, and railyard and also entertain railbus riders with witty commentary during the Saturday railbus rides. Ideal volunteers for docent positions are former teachers, sales people, or anyone who enjoys sharing their knowledge with others. On-the-job training and support are provided to new docents so that learning about the history of the railroad and other forms of local transportation is readily achieved.
Gift shop volunteers engage with visitors by greeting them, assisting with purchases, and taking railbus ride reservations. Training is provided and volunteer shifts of as little as 3 hours per week may be arranged. Opportunities for restoration shop crew members are also available—machine shop knowledge and/or welding experience is helpful but not required. And those interested in helping on a railbus crew would be a welcome addition to our museum family.
During the open house potential volunteers are invited to experience all the museum has to offer including the popular railbus ride. For more information about the museum or the opportunities available, call 530-470-0902. The NCNGRR Museum is located at 5 Kidder Court in Nevada City and is a division of the Nevada County Historical Society whose purpose is to preserve and celebrate our local history. The museum operates entirely by donations and volunteers.