Volunteers bring their own unique perspectives and talents to their roles in the Museum. Maxine Thompson, a volunteer in Coat Check, is a great example.
Maxine noticed that some children are reluctant to leave their stuffed animals in Coat Check, but the “fuzzy friends” are not allowed in our galleries. To make the process easier on our youngest visitors, Maxine brought small quilts from home. Now, when a child needs to leave a stuffed friend behind, Maxine carefully wraps the animal in a quilt, places it on a rack with a great view of the Bloch Lobby and she and the child urge the toy to take a nap while the child visits the Museum.
Maxine looks forward to the child’s return to Coat Check. “The brightest smiles I've ever seen were on the faces of two very small visitors as they came back to the Lobby, spied their fuzzy friends in the racks, and broke into a run. The fuzzy friends were then "awakened" and carefully returned to their masters. Yes, this is one of the many joys of being a coat check volunteer! (The grateful looks from parents are another reward.)”