Volunteer Voices

Curiosity: A Docent’s Catalyst for Connection
By Jeremiah Washington After my high school’s alumni event, my favorite teacher asked me a simple question about my college experience: “What did you learn?” Despite my involvement in Forsyth Tech’s Global Scholars of Distinction program, I struggled to answer, realizing I had spent college understanding the world around me more than myself. With summer […]
Volunteer Voices
Reynolda Volunteers on the Town, Part One
by Sandy CarterMarch 18, 2026 On January 6, 2026, a large group of Reynolda volunteers crossed the road to visit the neighbors! We enjoyed a field trip to Graylyn Estate, where we were treated to a wonderful tour full of information that is sure to add depth to our own tour-giving experiences at Reynolda, both […]
Volunteer Voices
Volunteers Deck Reynolda House Halls
By Sandy CarterDecember 12, 2025 As the holidays approached with their usual speed, busy volunteer elves descended on the halls of Reynolda House to sprinkle lights, color, and joy. Melanie Cameron, a docent since 2020, was one of that number. She graciously shared some of her favorite things about this unique experience. Melanie’s docent training […]
Volunteer Voices
A Newbie’s First Community Day
By Sandy Carter Community Day, on September 20, certainly lived up to its name in all kinds of delightful ways. The Reynolda community, together with a variety of civic organizations, showed up in force, encouraging joyful participation in opportunities to create, to learn something new about our city and its history, and to share personal […]
In Memory: Don Roberson
By Stephani Martinell Eaton Don Roberson (April 11, 1945-September 22, 2024) , beloved Reynolda volunteer and enthusiast, died September 22 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. After completing the docent preparation course in 2018, Don seemed a permanent fixture in the Historic House. He jokingly called it his bungalow. And we felt it was. He […]
What is Cupid Whispering?
photo credit: Paul Manship, Flight of Europa, 1925, cast bronze with red/white marble base, 23 x 29 5/8 x 8 1/2 in., Museum Purchase with funds provided by Barbara B. Millhouse, © Estate of Paul Manship.  by Vince CimminoNovember 21, 2024 “Listen. Do you want to know a secret? Do you promise not to tell? Whoa, oh, oh, closer.Let me whisper […]
Feature Stories
The Waters of Reynolda
By Clark HarperApril 1, 2024 Katharine Reynolds was a stickler for a healthy environment. Her overarching goal for Reynolda was neither to show off her family’s wealth nor to isolate the family from their community. She had the state pave the dirt road from West Fourth Street to her home. The estate would include gardens […]
Feature Stories
Discovery in the Garden Classroom
by Barbara BryantFebruary 16, 2024 This month marks my one-year anniversary of volunteering in the Gardens at Reynolda. I am looking forward to many more in the future and would like to share my experience with you. Preceding the orientation on February 10, 2023, I met Hayden Shuping one day in the Greenhouse. We shared […]
Feature Stories
Kneeling Venus
by Vince CimminoJanuary 8, 2024 The year: 1936 The place: Dallas Museum of Art The exhibit: Texas Centennial Exposition Contributors: Art Institute of Chicago, Detroit Institute of Arts, National Gallery of Art, The Philadelphia Museum of Art, and The Museum of Modern Art, among other institutions and collectors. A quotation from the exposition sculpture garden […]
Volunteer Voices
Stepping Over the Velvet Rope
by Becky BrownSeptember 29, 2023 Sometimes when people ask me about volunteering at Reynolda, I tell them it keeps me from lecturing the walls at home. The drive to talk about something one loves is strong. Leading a tour or answering questions in the house relieves that urge. I ran across a poem recently that […]