5 Ways To Volunteer This Month

With a strong spirit of volunteerism, local officials and organizations are hoping residents consider volunteering for a number of local causes in town. Here are five opportunities to volunteer this month.

Be a Part of History

The Marblehead Museum and Historical Society has put out a call for volunteers to help track down the records of 600 Revolutionary War Soliders. So far, about a dozen amateur historians have offered assistance.

Dick Carlson said the museum will establish a protocol for volunteers on how to conduct the research, matching lists of Marblehead veterans with other sources, such as military pension records, to establish the dates of their deaths.

Once the list is compiled, the museum will be able to establish it as a resource for people conducting genealogy research into their family histories. 

To volunteer, call Carlson at 781-631-1768.

Find A Match

Pleasant Street resident Penny Carleton put a sign up on her front fence last month alerting the public that her brother was in need of a kidney transplant.

Her brother has been on dialysis for three years and wait times on lists for transplants often exceed five years. She is hoping just one person sees her sign and considers donating. The ideal candidate is between 21 and 65 and is a O blood type. If you're not a match for Carleton's brother, there are plenty of others in need of kidneys.

To contact Carleton, call 617-605-8579.

Help Local Animals

Friends of Marblehead Animal Shelter is overrun with kittens and cats right now and needs help. 

Whether you are considering adopting or fostering an animal or just want to help clean the cages and feed the animals, volunteers are needed.

To volunteer, call 781-631-8664.

Spread Some Love

Penny Wigglesworth started her organization 15 years ago to give hope and love to people going through a tough time.

Since then, The Penny Bear Company, Inc., has relied only on volunteers. The company was established to provide opportunities for people of all ages to work together for a common purpose for charitable outreach projects in local communities and beyond.

Wigglesworth and her volunteers package bears make and send cards to the recipients. On Aug. 12, Wiggleworth is looking for volunteers to package bears for a camp for grieving children.

To volunteer call Wigglesworth at 781-639-2828 or e-mail her at pennywigg@comcast.net.

Help the Town

The Marblehead Historical Commission wants to identify every historic home and property in the town, including town-owned properties.

Commission Chairman Chris Johnson believes Marblehead may have the most historic homes in the commonwealth and wants the survey to prove it.

The commission also wants to open the Abbot Hall gift shop on weekends. The challenge for the commission -- it needs more volunteers, including someone with expertise in historic preservation who might serve as a coordinator for the town-wide survey. 

To volunteer for the gift shop call 781-631-7965.

To volunteer for the survey call 781-639-3425.