What’s UP at the Archives – May 8th, 2025

National Volunteer Week Event

On May 1^st, the Mission Community Archives held a special event to thank volunteers for their invaluable contributions of time, knowledge, and skills to make the community’s documentary heritage accessible. The event was held during National Volunteer Week (April 27^th to May 3^rd, 2025) the theme of which was “together we make waves”.

Kicking off at 6pm, Archivist Val Billesberger spoke about how volunteers have played an integral role in the Archives operations since it was formally established in 1989. Over the last year, she stated that 38 volunteers logged over 3,250 hours at the Archives, calculating its value at more than $80,000. Assisting with various tasks ranging from cataloguing materials to conducting research, 78% of the volunteers have been members of the staff for more than 10 years.

The highlight of the event was the unveiling of 21 volunteer portraits taken by Ellen Nguyen Photography for display on the Archives “Our Volunteers” Wall located in the building’s lobby.  The recognition wall was established in 1998 to publicly recognize on an ongoing basis the contributions of volunteers.