Staff

Holly Kozelsky, Executive Director

Holly Kozelsky is a graduate of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a former editor of the Martinsville Bulletin.

She and her daughter, Mary, live in Dyer’s Store/Leatherwood, on the former Irvin Minter farm, where they enjoy gardening (flowers and vegetables) and have chickens.

In 2024-25 she is the co-chair of the local Historic Garden Week, and will be its chair in 2025-26. She runs the Facebook page “Obituaries MHC,” the only source of all local obituaries, updated four times a day, and free to the public, with no advertising.

Deborah Stone, Bookkeeper

Long time MHCHS volunteer Deborah Stone is now the bookkeeper and office manager for the Historical society. She was a school/administrative secretary for Henry County Public Schools for 38 years and also previously served the Society as bookkeeper before the pandemic. She is a member of Smith River Singers and attends Horsepasture Christian Church. She also volunteers at the Spencer-Penn Centre.

She and her husband, David, live in Spencer. She has one daughter, April Haynes, and two grandchildren.

Job opening: Staff Aide

MHC Heritage Museum Staff Aide

Job Description 

The MHC Heritage Museum Staff Aide Plays a crucial role in ensuring that visitors have a positive experience and engaging first impression of the MHC Heritage Museum. S/he assists the Martinsville-Henry County Historical Society Executive Director in operating the MHC Heritage Museum, assuring that it functions efficiently and effectively on a daily basis. The primary duties include assuring that the museum is staffed (hosted) during the hours it is open to the public, coordinating volunteer hosts and serving as host when no volunteer is on duty; assisting in preparation for and manning of events; doing data entry and record-keeping; and performing any duties as assigned by the Executive Director. This position reports to the Executive Director, who reports to the Board of Directors.

Duties:

·     Work between 25 and 40 hours a week, which include the museum’s standard open hours, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. The Staff Aide coordinates the scheduling of volunteer hosts and serves as host when no host is on duty. Some evening work would be required (presently, about once or twice a month), in which case the Staff Aide’s workday would start 8 hours before the anticipated ending of the nighttime event; in such cases, in the absence of volunteers to host before that 8-hour shift, the Executive Director will host. 

·     Ensure a smooth operation of the site opening and closing procedures, safety compliance, public programs and retail functions.

·     Lead the regular operation of our visitor desk with a welcoming, friendly and professional environment.

·     Ensure that the museum is clean, organized and aesthetically pleasing; take out trash between 9:30-10 a.m. mornings; and keep the grounds clear of debris.

·     Collect and handle visitor feedback, comments and suggestions.

·     Promote and sell museum memberships.

·     Take in and properly categorize monies paid to the museum and its gift shop.

·     Work in the Heritage Gift Shop including stocking, organizing, displaying and selling merchandise.

·     Disseminate information to visitors and provide appropriate directions to both visitors and guests.

·     Proactively stay informed of museum events and exhibits.

·     Answer the main museum phone line and direct calls.

·     Ensure public spaces are set up and tidy for general operations and all types of programming/events.

·     Work in the planning and execution of fundraising events, festivals and community outreach events. These include but are not limited to Blue Jeans & Bling (an evening in October), Tabletop Tree Silent Auction (late fall and early winter), membership/sponsorship drive (spring); year-end appeal (November); and others to be developed.

·     Develop social media posts (which must be approved by Executive Director before publishing).

·     Respond calmly and professionally to emergencies, following procedures and promptly notifying the appropriate channels of incidents.

·     Make and maintain entries of museum artifacts in the PastPerfect 5 collection management system.

·     Water the lawn, groundcover area and catchbasin as directed, and put away hoses and supplies when finished.

·     Keep clear communication with supervisor, including proper notification of absence or lateness.

·     Perform other duties as assigned by the Director or other appropriate administrator.

Education and Experience

Associate degree plus 2 years experience work; be Red Cross Certified in first aid, CPR and AED (that can be completed within 6 months). Possess the following attributes:

·     Strong organizational skills and ability to work independently and perform multiple tasks simultaneously and without close supervision.

·     Professional presentation and demeanor as befits a public-facing role, including strong professional verbal skills.

·     Excellent interpersonal skills.

·     Detail-oriented in data-entry.

·     Excellent office equipment skills, including cash register, money intake with allocating categories of income, proficiency with PastPerfect 5 and standard Microsoft Office software (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Compensation 

$15/hour

Job Type

Part-time, non-exempt

Probationary for first three months, at which point an assessment will be given. The job would become permanent if the 3-month assessment shows that the candidate has successfully carried out the duties as described above.

To apply: Send resume and cover letter to kozelsky.mhchs@gmail.com. Position open until filled.