Jacqui Dempsey-Cohen volunteer at the Virginia Discovery Museum

Tell us about your volunteer activities.

I am the  Thursday morning greeter at the Virginia Discovery Museum’s front desk. I have the opportunity to greet everyone who comes in the door, to answer questions about the museum (or where I got my pink sneakers), collect admission, give change, say hi to old friends from the library, and tell people about the fun exhibits in the museum. On Sundays, I occasionally help out at Unity of Charlottesville services. I also work full time (a paid job)as a Children’s Specialist at the downtown library.

What inspires you to volunteer?
I enjoy being around people and I really like feeling useful.  Watching kids and their grown-ups play together at the museum is pure fun for me. I do believe in the importance of  tithing  my “time, talent, and treasure.”  Spending  a little time at the museum seems like the least I can do. A wise woman advised that we each become a “person of increase”  – that we leave everyone we interact with feeling a little better than before.

If your volunteer work could make one long-lasting change, what would you want it to be?
To leave someone smiling would be good!

What is a little-known fact about you?
I have an airplane pilot’s license and I used to hang out at and work at airports to get airplane rides. I’ve flown in  a police helicopter,  helped pilot an old Convair 440 to deliver the Wall Street Journal from Trenton to Atlanta, and sat in the copilot’s seat of  a King Air to mention a few.

What brought you to Charlottesville?
It’s the perfect mix of town and gown, of city and country living, and is so beautiful, especially in the spring!

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