Volunteer Profile | What is it like to Volunteer?
I Dig Alexandria Archaeology!
Volunteering for Alexandria Archaeology includes the privilege of learning about the history of a dynamic changing city while contributing to the betterment of that city through our work together."
--Patricia Ilura Knock, FOAA member and volunteer.
Pat has collected oral histories about African American neighborhoods around the Virginia Theological Seminary, excavated on our sites, and assisted in teaching Summer Camp.Each year more than 100 volunteers work alongside the City Archaeologists and contribute close to 10,000 hours to discovering and sharing our heritage.
Meet an Alexandria Archaeology Volunteer
Volunteer Anna Lynch is both a past recipient of the Friends of Alexandria Archaeology's annual John Glaser Award and the Alexandria Historical Society's History Award. Anna's contributions range from hands-on assistance with our education programs, to research on Alexandria African Americans, to helping craft a successful grant application for a partnership between Alexandria Public Schools and six Alexandria museums.
Anna's research on African Americans, A Compendium of Early African Americans in Alexandria, Virginia is available through Alexandria Archaeology Publications.
What is it like to Volunteer ?
Not all of our volunteers are published authors! Volunteers make valuable contributions in many areas, some requiring a lot of knowledge and skill, and others requiring only the willingness to help.
Some volunteers answer the telephone, do photocopying and mailings; others help present the Alexandria Archaeology Adventure Lessons to school children; while others excavate, or wash, mark and catalogue artifacts. Some contribute as little as six hours a month, and others work with us daily.
Sometimes volunteers work in groups, especially for digging and laboratory work. Others work alone on research, but can come together with their colleagues over lunch, at the monthly "Java Jolt" (Saturday morning coffees), and at yearly events such as the Volunteer Recognition Party and the George Washington Birthday Parade.
