Farm Museum Recognizes Volunteers with Ceremony

Westminster, MD, Thursday, May 28, 2026 – Last week the Carroll County Farm Museum held its annual Volunteer Recognition Ceremony celebrating volunteers whose thousands of hours contributed to the museum’s success throughout the years. This year, the event was an appreciation dessert tea.

In 2025 the Farm Museum recorded more than 3,300 volunteer hours to assist with nine major events, many field trips and group tours, four weeks of summer camp, and numerous other miscellaneous volunteer opportunities. Since 2022 over 12,573 hours were contributed by over 700 volunteers and since 2017, 16 people logged over 500 hours individually. A powerful reflection of volunteer contributions and their commitment and impact to the Farm Museum.

The ceremony, with the theme, “Hands that Help the Farm Grow” was held on Friday, May 22, 2026. The following honorees were recognized: Cathy Clarke, Bettie Modrak and Wilma Welling with 125-250 hours, Bob Hungerman with over 750+ hours, and Albin Drzewianowski, Jim Maness, and Anne Allen with over 1000 hours. The ceremony also acknowledged new members to the team this past year.

In addition, individual volunteers, businesses, and professional career representatives also play an important role for the museum. There is now a partnership with Mission Beelieve helping us create a pollinator garden and adding bee hives to our landscape. Along with that, Sweet Bay Farms Nursery & Garden Center donated plants for the pollinator garden. Additionally, the museum opened a veterinarian display with the help of three retired local veterinarians to assist with school tours.

County Commissioner Kenneth Kiler, District 2, attended the ceremony and noted, “One of many reasons to love Carroll County is the volunteer spirit that lives in every corner of our community.  I was proud to be a small part of this ceremony and happy to personally thank the many volunteers whose generosity make our county not just a great place to live, but a wonderful place to belong.”

Farm Museum Manager Jane Sewell shared her gratitude to the volunteers and said, “Volunteers are the heartbeat of the Farm Museum generously sharing their time and knowledge while providing invaluable contributions to our success.  This recognition ceremony offers a meaningful opportunity to say thank you to our volunteers and acknowledge their tireless efforts and positive impact on the facility.”

“The commitment and dedication of our volunteers make a difference in the quality and quantity of our programs, and we could not do what we do without their steadfast support,” said Director of Economic Development Denise Beaver. “The Farm Museum is a wonderful tourism asset and a place of discovery and connection for thousands of residents and visitors each year.”

If you are interested in volunteering for the Farm Museum, please contact Volunteer Coordinator Ann Gilbert at 410-386-3896 or agilbert@carrollcountymd.gov.

Some History of the Farm Museum

Originally known as the County Home, or Almshouse, the property served Carroll County from 1853 to 1965, providing care for the poor and needy of the county. When the decision was made to close Almshouse, there was considerable discussion about the future of the land and buildings. Portions of the property had already been set aside for the county hospital and the county fairgrounds, but slightly more than 100 acres remained. Through the organization of a dedicated Board of Directors and the tireless efforts of County Agent Landon C. Burns, the Carroll County Farm Museum was established. The Farm Museum officially opened its doors to the public on August 13, 1966.

Since opening, the Farm Museum has hosted countless festivals, field trips, picnics, and family gatherings. Today, the Farm Museum remains a beautiful open space where visitors can enjoy nature while learning about Carroll County’s agricultural past.

For more information about the Carroll County Farm Museum and the events, please visit the website www.carrollcountyfarmmuseum.org or follow the museum on Facebook.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Denise Beaver, CEcD
Director, Economic Development
410-386-2070