Historical
Society of
Topsail Island

Historical Society of Topsail Island

Volunteer Opportunities
We have a place for you!

Missiles and More Museum

The museum is located inside the Historic Assembly Building. Our volunteers are trained onsite. Our museum is jam-packed with history that even the locals don’t know exists. If you enjoy meeting people from across the U.S. and the world—this is the place for you!

 Education Committee

This committee ensures that we live up to our mission to promote the history of the greater Topsail Island area. Children are thrilled year after year to come to our summer aquarium program provided in conjunction with Ft. Fisher Aquarium Outreach. We also work with schools to provide safe and educational field trips. Every year for three decades HSTI has given generous college scholarships to worthy high school seniors in our community. If you enjoy seeing the wonder in a child’s eyes, or an adult, and imparting a little nugget of history—This is the place for you!

Luncheon Committee

The HSTI Luncheon and Lecture series happens on the second Thursday from September to May as part of our education mission. Our program chairperson acquires interesting speakers for the lecture and our luncheon chairperson takes reservations, orders food, and coordinates volunteers to greet guests & collect payment, decorate tables, and oversee kitchen. If you like people from all walks of life—This is the place for you!

Membership Committee

Preparations begin in April and our annual membership drive kicks off in early May. The committee chairperson sends, receives and records memberships in our database. Volunteers are needed at the luncheons and other HSTI and community events to solicit memberships.  If you like meeting and greeting people and are excited about our organization–This is the place for you!

Autumn With Topsail Festival

This 3-day festival, started in 1988, features a juried Artists’ and Crafts Court with over 100 regional artists displaying and selling their work. Enjoy exciting live musical entertainment, with a variety of amazing food with a beer and wine tent, a silent auction, and a bouncy house area for children. AWT is HSTI’s largest annual fundraiser. It takes over 300 volunteers to make the Autumn with Topsail Festival happen each year-from festival chairman to committee chairpersons to trash removal to ticket sales and logistics-we have a place for you!

BINGO!

The Historical Society of Topsail Island has offered a family-oriented BINGO night for 20 years and is our second biggest fundraiser. 100% of the proceeds from BINGO support HSTI programs. Our volunteers sell cards and concessions, cashier using square and handling cash, keep records, validate winners, and have fun with our players.  We need 20-25 volunteers to cover all ten of the Thursday evenings from June to August.  Whether you can give one or ten nights, we have a place for you as part of our team!

Jingle Bell Ball

This festive evening fundraiser is held on the first Saturday of December each year. Volunteers are needed for invitations/advertising, taking reservations & collecting payments, room set-up/tear down, decorating, procuring beverages, working with the chef making menu decisions, clean-up, and all things festive!  If this is your time of year to shine—This is the place for you!

Ghost Walk

We partner with Pender County Tourism to present The Ghosts of Pender’s Past, an annual historical ghost walk in the cemetery in Burgaw, typically the third weekend of October. Needed are writers and actors for the vignettes or short stories, producers, costumers, group leaders and more.  This is your opportunity to share your artistic talents and some local history. This is the place for you!

Want to keep history Alive and Interesting?

You have an opportunity to share our unique history with people all over the world.  Tell the stories of pirates and WASPs and a town that springs up overnight!  Without you and your talents, who will tell the stories that spark connection and wonder?  You can help us achieve our objectives:

*To promote our mission through collections, exhibits, public education programs and the Missiles & More Museum.

*To preserve, maintain and improve the Assembly Building.

*To develop stable, reliable sources of support to ensure the longevity of the Historical Society of   Topsail Island.

*To expand visibility and gain recognition for the Historical Society of Topsail Island.

Our Board of Directors is looking for community-minded leaders to be the face and the voice of our organization and propel us into the future! Who do you know who may be interested in this?