Volunteer with Germanna!
Our several historic and natural properties, our genealogical research library, along with our interpretative and educational activities provide many opportunities for a variety of volunteer opportunities.
Archaeology: Germanna Foundation staff archaeologist, Dr. Eric Larsen, accepts volunteers to help in archaeology work for the Foundation. Volunteers to assist in other archaeology work following the field season are also welcome. If you’re located near Locust Grove, VA, and want to help, please email Dr. Eric Larsen, Director of Archaeology and Cultural Resources, and let him know you’re willing to help.
Fort Germanna Visitor Center – Museum and Library Docent: Located in Locust Grove, VA, the Germanna Visitor Center, museum, and library are open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, from 1 pm to 4 pm. Docents greet visitors, provide a short introduction to the exhibits in the museum, assist in the library, and handle light clerical, clean-up, and maintenance duties. Interest in area history, library science, or genealogy may be helpful but is not necessary, as the Foundation provides a short self-paced training guide and other materials to assist volunteer docents. A friendly and helpful demeanor is required, and docents need to be able to stand for periods of about a half-hour at a time, converse with visitors and answer questions, and be comfortable walking in and around the center and the grounds (in decent weather), including the Memorial Garden. Opportunities to serve at special events outside regularly scheduled open hours are occasionally available too.
Trails, Buildings, and Grounds Maintenance: The Foundation maintains the Russell and Joan Hitt hiking trail system through our Siegen Forest property, all beginning near the Visitor Center. The Wilderness Battlefield Ground Force leads volunteer efforts to maintain and improve these trails (as well as other trails on other properties in the Wilderness battlefield area) and are always looking for volunteers. The Foundation also accepts volunteers who wish to do light building maintenance duties, including janitorial cleaning, replacing light bulbs, minor repairs and upkeep (e.g., replacing or fixing locks, door knobs, windows, touch-up painting, replacing HVAC or water system filters, minor plumbing repairs, lubricating door hinges, moving cabinets or wall hangings, fixing or moving furniture, etc.). Got a green thumb? We also accept volunteers willing to perform grounds and garden maintenance and beautification work (e.g., planting, mulching, trimming, weeding, watering, etc.).
Salubria Docent: Salubria, located in Stevensburg, VA, in Culpeper County, just a few miles west of the Visitor Center on Route 3, does not currently have a regular schedule of public tours, but tours are made available by appointment April through October. While the Foundation does plan to establish public tour hours for Salubria in the future, we are seeking volunteers now to serve as docents to give tours (by appointment) at Salubria. Tours typically last about one hour if the visitors are able and desire to see the entire mansion and grounds. Docents must be able to learn to give the tour (materials and information is provided), walk (including some walking backward) for at least an hour without needing to stop and rest, and have a good, clear speaking voice.
Please note: All volunteers are required to review and sign the Germanna Foundation Volunteer Form and Waiver Agreement. Additional docent guidelines and specific volunteer work instructions, including easy-to-follow dress code requirements and more detailed policies and procedures for certain volunteer activities, may be published and revised from time to time by the Foundation.
Interested volunteers should fill out this online application, and Germanna staff will be in touch shortly. A paper copy is available upon request. For more information, please contact Shannon Doherty, Education Manager, at [email protected] or 540-423-1700. Thank you for your interest in volunteering with us!
Internships
The Foundation also regularly seeks and accepts college students for internships. Interns may have a variety of experiences related to the heritage of Germanna, including genealogical research, historic preservation, exhibiting and interpretation, office management and administration, marketing and fundraising, archaeology, education, and even hospitality services at Germanna events. Depending on the student’s field of study and interests, it may be possible to meet certain academic requirements and receive credit for internship work, contingent upon approval by the college or university where the student is studying. Germanna internships are unpaid, and interns are accepted as volunteers and are not employees of the Foundation. Internships are generally accepted for 8-week periods in the Fall semester (September through November), the Spring semester (February through April), and the Summer (June through August), but may be scheduled for different periods and times based on the student’s needs or desires. A letter of application, resume, and academic record, along with at least one recommendation from a professor or instructor, is required of internship applicants.
For more information about internship opportunities, please contact us.
Germanna Volunteer Projects From Your Home
Would you like to help the Germanna Foundation from the comforts of home? We have several volunteer opportunities that you can participate in. We are open to suggestions if there is anything YOU want to do to assist Germanna from afar. Please contact us at 540-423-1700 or email [email protected] to discuss.
Germanna Explorers Project
Join the Germanna Families Committee looking for living descendants of the Germanna colonists. More Info
Transcription of Digitized Files
Overview: Over the last few decades, descendants of various Germanna families have submitted their personal research to the Germanna Foundation for future generations to utilize when researching their ancestry. Some have included copies of files from various repositories, such as historical societies, circuit courts, and courthouses. While the documents may be in good or fair condition, once digitized, they may not be easily readable, or the OCR (Optical Character Recognition) is unusable. For this, we need volunteers to help us transcribe these documents for online research.
Presentations
If you would like to do a presentation to a local group, the Germanna Foundation has presentations geared specifically toward its history and mission.
Educational Trunk
Overview: Educational (or traveling) trunks can be filled with objects for children between elementary and high school. By creating educational plans based around Germanna-related themes (immigration, frontier life, archaeology), children around the country can learn about Virginia’s early German settlers and how it ties into America’s story of liberty.
We are looking for individuals who would be interested in creating these trucks to use at their schools to broaden the discussion of Germanna’s role in American history.
Early Colonial American War Soldiers (French and Indian/Revolutionary War)
Compiling a list of soldiers who descend from Germanna families that fought in early wars such as the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War. Creating a database of soldiers will help researchers who come looking for information for personal or scholarly reasons. This information would be sent to the Fort Germanna Visitor Center and kept on file in-house and on an online database.
Connecting Your Relatives to Germanna
Do you have friends or family who are or would be interested in learning more about Germanna’s story? Do you have a cousin who should become a member? We can send you a small package with a membership form, brochure, and a recent newsletter to get them started on their discovery to Germanna!
Developing a Lesson Plan for Elementary and High Schoolers on the History of Germanna in the Colonial Era
Calling all teachers! We are looking for teachers to create lesson plans for your students to learn about the role of Germanna and American History. Lesson plans should be multifaceted and cover history, math, and English language standards found in state SOLs.
There are currently no open job opportunities at the Germanna Foundation.
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