Many thanks to all of the volunteers who helped make our first annual Spring Clean Up Day at Pine Grove such a success! Children, teens, and adults all pitched in for duty, helping with painting, yard work, trimming, planting, hauling, sweeping, and many other jobs that will ready Pine Grove for Spring and Summer tours and events. Chairwoman Melissa Luginski and Work Crew/Supply Chief Sam Moraco, both member-volunteers at OCPHS, managed to pull together all the details and organize the workers to accomplish a tremendous amount in just one day. Comcast heard about the event and added us to their Comcast Cares community service program, supplying tee-shirts, work materials, juice, water, and breakfast for an army of volunteers. Thank you Comcast, Melissa, Sam, and all of the generous volunteers who gave of themselves to help! The crew included teens from Pontiac, Waterford, Clarkston and Bloomfield Hills, two of whom, at right, show that getting a little dirty while working is fine when you know it's for a good cause. See more photos of the day on our Facebook group page: Pine Grove Historical Museum.

We invite OCPHS members interested in serving on the board of directors to contact the office for an information packet detailing requirements and a survey to complete and return by May 1st. A slate of candidates will be presented at our Annual Meeting and Election on Saturday, May 19. Board members serve three-year terms. Candidates must be members of the Society in good standing, attend at least four board meetings per year, and be willing to contribute time and talents to further the work of the Society through committee assignments and other volunteer effort. Our success depends upon the hard work of members willing to serve. If you would like to explore this possibility, please let us know.

Small Talks are informative and engaging presentations on historical topics, presented on periodic Sunday afternoons in the Carriage House. Our next program is at 2:00 p.m. on May 27, when Gary Pike, Civil War historian and reenactor, presents A Story of a Confederate Soldier Going to the Civil War. Click on the attachment below for a flyer about Gary's program. Admission is $5, or free to members who join or renew on the day of the talk. For a complete listing of 2012 Small Talks, visit our Events page.

In 2010, a vandal severely damaged the Wisner House. He was caught and punished, but his damage led to more than a year's worth of restoration effort to repair the Wisner House. A preservation project of this magnitude would not have been possible without the generous support of many members, volunteers, and donors. That support enabled us to repair the extensive masonry damage from the vandalism, to repair exterior wood trim and install new gutters and downspouts, and to completely replace the aging and damaged roof. Work continues, and donations are still welcome to help cover costs incurred and to fund the remaining phases of this project, including repairing interior plaster damage, making additional masonry repairs to the Wisner House walls, and continuing security upgrades for the property. To make a contribution, please visit our Donate page and note Roof/Restoration as the purpose of your tax-deductible gift. Thank you so much to those who have supported this project.

Our members are important not only for their financial support, but for the interest and involvement they contribute toward preserving Pine Grove and Oakland County's heritage. Everyone is welcome, so if you're not already a member, or if you have yet to renew your dues, please visit our Membership page and select the membership level that is right for you. New memberships or renewals received now will be good until July 1, 2013.

On Saturday, September 17, 2011, members of the Lydia Barnes Potter chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution presented OCPHS with the Historic Preservation Recognition Award, a national award to "honor an individual or group that has done remarkable work at the community level in the area of Historic Preservation." DAR member Kim Smith presented the award to OCPHS President Mike West, who accepted it on behalf of OCPHS volunteers, past and present, who have worked to promote and preserve Oakland County's history through their service. The ceremony was attended by OCPHS and DAR members, and included reflections by Claire Pryor about volunteers she has known from both groups. OCPHS received one of only four Historic Preservation Recognition Awards granted in Michigan. For more information about the Lydia Barnes Potter chapter of the DAR, please visit http://www.waterford.michdar.net/

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You may also join our Facebook group at www.facebook.com / Pine Grove Historical Museum.