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Thanking Volunteers at Old Fort Niagara's Volunteer Breakfast Ceremony

by Charlotte Clark
Wed, Mar 20th 2019 02:00 pm
Sharon Wesoloski was named Old Fort Niagara Association's 2018 Volunteer of the Year and also received special awards from Congressman Chris Collins and State Assemblyman Mike Norris. State Assemblyman Angelo Morinello, Porter Town Councilman Tim Adamson and the fort's volunteer coordinator, Erika Schrader, are also pictured.
Sharon Wesoloski was named Old Fort Niagara Association's 2018 Volunteer of the Year and also received special awards from Congressman Chris Collins and State Assemblyman Mike Norris. State Assemblyman Angelo Morinello, Porter Town Councilman Tim Adamson and the fort's volunteer coordinator, Erika Schrader, are also pictured.
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(March 20, 2019) Youngstown, N.Y. – The Old Fort Niagara Association recently recognized its corps of volunteers, who collectively contributed 40,858 hours to reenacting, guiding tours and assisting with special events and programs in 2018, at an annual volunteer breakfast ceremony held in the fort’s Officers’ Club.

The association also awarded the 2018 Volunteer of the Year honor to Sharon Wesoloski of West Seneca and a Special Commendation Award to the Murphy family of Niagara Falls for their exceptional contributions during 2018.

“We sincerely appreciate Ms. Wesoloski and the Murphy family’s time and commitment to helping wherever we need it,” said Robert L. Emerson, Executive Director of the Old Fort Niagara Association. “It is an honor to recognize their contributions to Old Fort Niagara and to thank all of our volunteers for their involvement, which is so valuable to our organization.”

The association values its volunteers’ time and services in 2018 at $612,870.

Ms. Wesoloski also received certificates of appreciation from Congressman Chris Collins and New York State Assemblyman Mike Norris (District 144). Other dignitaries in attendance at the breakfast included: New York State Assemblyman Angelo Morinello (District 145), Niagara County Clerk Joseph A. Jastrzemski, a representative from the office of New York State Senator Rob Ortt, New York State Parks Deputy General Manager Ron Peters, Town of Porter Councilman Tim Adamson, and Old Fort Niagara Association President Bruce Newton, in addition to other board members.

Ms. Wesoloski’s interest in volunteering with the Old Fort Niagara Association was inspired by her family history.

“My fourth great grandfather was brought to Fort Niagara as a prisoner during Pontiac’s Rebellion in the 1760s,” she said. “He was a French fur trader from Montreal and passed through this area on route to Fort Michilimackinac, in what is now Michigan.”

When asked about her favorite part about volunteering, she said: “I just love the kids! Whenever we have school groups visiting, I sign up. I like giving the kids a little bit of history.”

In addition to volunteering at Old Fort Niagara, Ms. Wesoloski is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and helps to hand out American flags to new citizens at naturalization ceremonies. She, her husband and brothers own a 34-year-old woodworking business called “Things in Wood” based in West Seneca.

 

Recruiting Volunteers

The arrival of spring coincides with training for docents (tour guides), who orient visitors to the fort as guides of the day, student field trip guides, and special event guides. The fort’s staff and veteran docents provide this training, which is scheduled for April 27 and 28, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Once training is completed, tour scheduling is flexible based on a person’s availability.

“We’d love to add five or more docents to our ranks,” said Erika Schrader, Old Fort Niagara’s volunteer coordinator. “They’d be joining a group of good people who enjoy connecting with visitors and sharing the fort’s history.”

Other volunteer opportunities are available and listed below. Volunteers receive a discount at the Museum Shop and there is a minimal time commitment requirement of eight hours per year.

  • Docent: Guide tours through the fort for school children and general visitors.
  • Visitor Center Docent: Welcome visitors to the fort and talk to visitors about Visitor Center exhibits.
  • Military Interpreter: Dress in period attire and demonstrate musket firings and soldier life.
  • Foodways Interpreter: Be a part of the fort’s historic cooking program and demonstrate 18th and early 19th century foodways for the public.
  • Admissions: Assist with ticket sales and visitor information.
  • Clerical: Phone reception, word processing and other office duties.
  • Exhibits: Assist with the construction of new exhibits and the maintenance of existing ones.
  • Special Events: Assist with crowd control, food service, sales, reenactor registration, etc.
  • Fundraising: Help plan and conduct the site’s annual fund campaign.
  • Marketing: Assist in promoting the site to both local and tourist markets.
  • Clothing Repair: Help maintain the site’s large collection of period clothing.
  • Field Music: Play a fife or drum in the fort's regimental field music.

To register for docent training or to inquire about volunteering at the fort, please contact Ms. Schrader at (716) 745-7611 ext. 221.

 

Upcoming Events

“Fort Niagara through Native Eyes,” a Native American history symposium featuring well-known Native history experts who will speak about specific time periods in the fort’s history, will be held on March 30 at the Tuscarora Nation House. Tickets are $25 and available only in advance by calling (716) 745-7611 by March 27.

Patriots Day Weekend starts the reenactment season at Old Fort Niagara on April 27 and 28, featuring interactive demonstrations about the history of the American Revolution, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

Hours of Operation

January 13 through March, Open Wednesday-Sunday  10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m

April 1- June 30, Open Daily 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

July and August, Open Daily 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

September 1 - October 15, Open Daily 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

October 16 - December 31, Open Wednesday through Sunday (Closed Mondays and Tuesdays) 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 

The fort will be open daily during Christmas week, December 26 - 31. 

Closed New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. 

 

General Admission

Adults:

$20.00

Children (6 to 12 years) 

$12.00

Children (5 and under):

  FREE

 

 

 

 

Support the Fort

Old Fort Niagara is operated by the Old Fort Niagara Association, an independent, not-for-profit organization established in 1927. We do not rely on tax dollars. Instead, the Fort is funded through a combination of admission fees, museum shop sales, and charitable contributions.

Donate today!

 

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