Ritzville museums recognize volunteers

RITZVILLE - Two area residents received Volunteer of the Year honors during a coffee and tea social at the Main Event last month.

Kaylee Conrad was chosen as the Burroughs Home Volunteer of the Year and Brian Bothun as the Ritzville Railroad Museum Volunteer of the Year on Oct. 9.

Conrad was an important part of this year's inaugural corn hole tournament on Memorial Day weekend, organizers said. She spent a many afternoons at the Burroughs Home welcoming visitors.

She also designed a coin that will be available for sale next season.

The coin has the Burroughs Home on one side and the Railroad Museum on the other.

Bothun was recognized for his diligent work to get the Railroad Depot Museum designated as part of "Steel Highway," a social media site where people can tune in and watch trains that pass by the Ritzville Depot as well as many others around the country.

Cameras will be installed after Thanksgiving.

Both Conrad and Bothun became members of the museum board stepping up and fulfilling an important need for the community.

In addition to recognizing the duo, the event introduced other volunteers. Those in attendance were asked to give a short history of how they became part of the community and why they decided to help out the museums.

They were thanked for their involvement.

Last year's volunteers of the year were also in attendance. The Burroughs Home volunteer was Rachel Miller and the Depot Museum volunteer Jeff Duval.