POTTSVILLE -- The Schuylkill County Historical Society is celebrating its 115th year and wants to do some expanding for its anniversary, so it made a video to try to bring in donations.
You may have seen the video on social media. It's an appeal from the Schuylkill County Historical Society in Pottsville asking for donations.
"We thought it would be nice to show our members and the general public a bit of who we are and what we do," said executive director Tom Drogalis. "A picture says a thousand words."
Every year, the society asks the community to donate. The society has made videos for the cause in the past, but this year's is the most extensive. It explains what the money is used for.
The historical society wants to use donations from the appeal to help them conquer some of its goals. Right now, the society wants to take the unfinished third floor and convert it into a learning center.
"That's a very big goal in terms of finances, but we're looking to do it incrementally. So, with the proceeds we have this year, we'll build on that," Drogalis explained.
In the past, the historical society has used the money from the appeal to pay for roof repairs and for computer equipment that would help compile old records digitally.
Dot Loy has volunteered at the society for 10 years.
"I just like working here and the history, at my age, at 89, I'm still learning things I didn't know about, which is fantastic," Loy said.
She says the money that has been donated over the years has really changed the museum.
"You're looking at things now this building was empty when I first came here 10 years ago."
"Well if you don't know where you've been, you don't know where you're going, and that's the lesson I've learned the four years I've been here, is a great appreciation for history in general, but also on a county level, a state level where their roots come from," Drogalis added.