The Observer Newspapers |

May 19 , 2008

Where Are All The Volunteers?

The Herndon Historical Society last week officially terminated the annual homes tour it had organized for 21 years, after canceling last year's event because of a lack of volunteers.

I had not attended the homes tour in many years, but I remember walking through the houses as a reporter, and writing many articles over the years and taking many photographs of the homeowners and their historic residences.

It was always a wonderful event, a chance to see inside some of the Herndon homes that look so grand from the outside. It also provided a chance to glimpse homes that were not necessarily historic, but which had features that made them unique in the era of cookie-cutter neighborhoods.

The tour was one of the best ways the town reached out to outside residents to promote its own history and to promote Herndon as a great place to live. It saddens me to learn that the event can't make a go of it anymore.

And the tour's failure makes me wonder: Where are all the volunteers? While the tour itself was popular with people of different age groups and interests, the volunteers were probably people who most valued history, and supported that value by working in their own hometown.

The fact that those people aren't involved in community activism anymore should be a wake-up call to all residents of the town. The town is changing, and together we must find a way to reach out to new residents, empower the long-time residents, and use community support to guide the town in the future.