Volunteer Spotlight: Rose Dorsey
April 17, 2023
We are excited to spotlight another one of our Wonder-full Turtle Bay volunteers, Rose Dorsey! Learn more about Rose’s experiences in the Collections & Exhibits department and the many benefits that she shares of volunteering at Turtle Bay.
After retiring from a career as a Nurse, Rose searched for ways to continue learning and maintain involvement in the community. The opening of the Sundial Bridge launched Rose’s volunteering journey with Turtle Bay. She explained this day as the most monumental event she has had the chance to experience as a volunteer, although she became involved in numerous projects that piqued her interest.
In 2004, Rose devoted her time and energy to greeting and educating guests about the Butterfly House. After three years, she opted to try something new to escape the summer heat and found herself intrigued by the Museum artifacts and exhibitions at the Park. She began volunteering in Collections, where she began the tedious project of data entry for Indian Baskets and creating Sundial Bridge photograph descriptions for Turtle Bay’s records.
Julia Cronin, Curator of Collections & Exhibits, says, “Rose is our team’s longest-serving volunteer. She has dedicated so much time and energy to every Collections and Exhibits task, from the most routine data entry project to assisting with exhibition curation. We always look forward to Wednesday afternoons with Rosie!”
When asked what her favorite moment as a volunteer, Rose enthusiastically shared about her work on Redding in the Roaring 20’s, which showcased the decades of Redding dating back 100 years. Piecing together the story of Redding through familiar artifacts interested Rose and taught her many new things. She shares, “It’s important to stay up with the times and keep your brain active. When you retire, all of a sudden, your world gets very small because you’re not communicating with people. You have to get out and do something.”
Rose not only enjoys learning new skills with each visit, but she has also formed relationships with staff members from various departments. Rose says, “I love volunteering here because you’re around young people, and they’re enthusiastic. I’m hoping that some of their energy rubs off on me!”
Rose’s involvement at Turtle Bay is admirable, and her devotion to the Park is much appreciated. Thank you, Rose, for all that you do for Turtle Bay!