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Suncoast Pinellas News

Former Chamber Chief Volunteering At Museum

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By Mark  Schantz | The Suncoast News

Published: March 15, 2008

PALM HARBOR, Fla. - PALM HARBOR, Fla. - For the past five months former Tarpon Springs Chamber of Commerce President Theajo "Tj" Davis has volunteered her services in an attempt to get the North Pinellas Historical Museum back on its feet.

In recent years the Palm Harbor Historical Society, which operates the museum at the 93-year old Hartley House, at the intersection of Curlew and Belcher roads, has suffered from a lack of volunteers and new members.

Winona Jones, the museum's longtime volunteer curator, recently took time off because of illness. For several years Jones had been voicing her desire to retire, but no one has come forward to operate the museum.

Davis, who resigned from the Tarpon Springs Chamber late last summer, after leading the organization for three years, said while job hunting she decided to volunteer and do some community service.

Her future plans include working in the nonprofit or chamber of commerce field, while perhaps finishing her law degree.

In fact, Davis has tentatively accepted the job of executive director of the Delta Area Chamber of Commerce, in Delta, Colo. A Feb. 27 article in the Delta County Independent announcing her hiring as chamber executive director was premature, Davis said.

Nevertheless, she is negotiating over the Colorado job, Davis acknowledged, while discussing a job at another chamber of commerce she declined to name.

If she takes either chamber post she has lined up a possible replacement for her work at the museum, Davis said.

Meanwhile, she said, "Preserving the area's rich history is a labor of love for me."

While chamber president she resurrected Tarpon Springs' historic water carnival and fought to preserve that city's history.

At the museum she and a small group of volunteers spruced up the grounds, which had begun to look shabby. Rotted window frames have been replaced and a dilapidated shed was removed from the grounds.

Davis enlisted Experience Works, a job training program for mature and disadvantage workers, to provide two people to regularly staff the museum and keep it open three days a week.

The museum is now open 1 - 4 p.m. on Tuesday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday and Saturday. Hours of operation where haphazard before she arrived.

Davis, who said she is referred to by people at the museum as Jo not Tj, also wooed two University of South Florida students to volunteer, catalog and create exhibits at the museum.

The museum needs a marketing campaign and brochure to attract visitors and volunteers, Davis said. It also needs a Web site to spread its message.

Students and people with a little time to help are needed to revitalize the museum that is now looking a lot better and has regular hours of operation, she said.

Grounds of the museum are a good place for groups to hold events, Davis said. For example, animal rescue groups will present an event at the museum from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 30.

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