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Guest View: Chalet Friends face staffing challenges
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From Sandy Blum

Friends of the Chalet of the Golden Fleece




The Chalet Friends have been hard at work, recruiting volunteers for grounds cleanup and maintenance and contacting bus companies to increase traffic flow through the museum. Those are just a couple of projects that are underway. They are also working jointly with the village to develop brochures and other promotional material as well as looking at fundraising options. A donation from the New Glarus Brewery last year funded a paid guide position, and the Chalet was open a limited number of hours over the summer. At this time, the Chalet does not have funding for staff.

The Friends hope to have the Chalet open on Saturday and Sundays during festival weekends from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Recruitment for volunteers to staff the museum during those times is a high priority. Training sessions for potential guides will be scheduled, hopefully in April and May. Video equipment, donated by the NG Brewery is also being returned to the museum and will be in use to facilitate the tours.

At this critical time we need to keep our momentum going. The Chalet needs to be open for tours this summer. If the Chalet cannot be open and start to produce some revenue, the efforts put forth by the Friends, may not be enough to keep the Chalet operating as a museum.

Increasing visitors to the Chalet has a positive impact on all the businesses in New Glarus as well as Green County. We need volunteers to give tours or, if that's not your style, volunteers are needed to answer the door or phone and to register guests. We know how busy summers can be, and we are asking for a minimum of 10 hours of your time during the summer months. We plan to be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. If we get several volunteers for that amount of time, we can be open for the festival weekends. If volunteer turnout is greater than that, we can provide additional hours of operation.

The Friends are enlisting motivated citizens and business owners to attend their meetings. Interested persons and business owners are invited to attend the next meeting, which will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 9 in the New Glarus Village Hall Board Room. If you cannot make the meeting and would like to learn more or volunteer your time, contact me at 608-938-4561.

Training sessions are also being planned for the following days and times: Thursday, April 25 and Thursday, May 2 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., as well as Saturday, May 4 starting at 9 a.m. All three sessions will be held at the Chalet.