Friends of FSNHS looking to grow

The fledgling Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site organization is looking to grow.

One of the ways the organization -- which supports and promotes the mid-1800s historic site -- is able to get the word out in the community about its mission and recruit new members is to become involved in various community events throughout the year. To help meet these goals, the group will host the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce Coffee at 8 a.m. Thursday at the FSNHS Grand Hall.

The event will also kick off a series of activities scheduled this weekend as part of a two-day symposium Friday and Saturday titled "Voices from the Quilts: A Cultural History of Nineteenth Century Women," that concludes Women's History Month activities at the historic site.

One of the Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site organization's goals is to eventually recruit 100 members, according to co-convenor Reed Hartford.

"We're still looking for a hundred founding members," he said. "We're two-thirds of the way there. We have 60-plus (members)."

As part of themed activities this month, the support group will host a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Old Congregational Church, 502 S. National Ave. During this event, noted quilter and author Terry Clothier Thompson and other speakers will discuss quilting and its role in giving women a voice and in preserving stories of the past. Thompson will also sign copies of her books and appraise quilts during the event.

The mission of Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site, which formed last year, is to assist the historic site in marketing, promotion and fundraising at the local level. The group accepts donations and conducts periodic fundraisers throughout the year to help accomplish this mission. Proceeds from all of the group's projects go toward "projects to enhance and to assist the fort in their interpretation efforts," Hartford said.

In October, the Friends group conducted a premiere event of a new interpretive film at FSNHS and sold Christmas ornaments designed by well-known local artist Gary Hawk in November and December. Hartford said the film premiere was the group's kickoff event and the group's biggest fundraiser to date.

Many National Park Service-owned sites across the United States have similar groups that promote their site and the NPS mission through various community fundraisers and projects. The groups, including Friends of FSNHS, help the sites in their respective communities with such expenses as the purchasing of interpretive clothing and even facility expansion projects, depending on how much funds are available, Hartford said.

The local organization is seeking to soon achieve nonprofit status, he added.

A variety of events featuring quilts will continue throughout the remainder of the month in honor of Women's History Month. Other activities including exhibits and shopping events are planned through the weekend. Since the beginning of the month, local residents and merchants throughout the community have also displayed colorful quilts on front porches and store windows.

For more information about the Friends of FSNHS, call Hartford at (620) 223-3944. For more information about activities this month at FSNHS or in the community, call the site at 223-0310 or the chamber at 223-3566.