VOLUNTEER spotlight
The Elliott Museum and the House of Refuge are blessed with a legion of vibrant and gifted volunteers from across the country who bring their own rich histories from all walks of life. The common thread among them is their shared passion for our museums, and their enthusiasm to make your visitor experience the best that it can be.
The House of Refuge “We miss our docents – and that’s the truth!
Watch this heartfelt message from Catherine Larsen, Keeper of the House, as she shares how much she misses the wonderful docents who bring the House of Refuge to life. In return, our dedicated docents express their excitement about returning once we reopen to the public.
March 2026
JAN BRANDS
What did you do for a living in your career life?
For many years I was a physical therapist, then later in life changed direction and went into education with a focus on middle school science.
What are your special interests/passions?
I enjoy exercising, playing pickleball, reading, and working on various crafts.
What is something that would surprise us about you?
Many years ago I received a gift of 8 flying lessons, learned the basics of flying and was able to take off, fly, and land a 2 seat Cessna. I did not continue on to pursue a pilot’s license.
What’s your favorite thing about volunteering at the HSMC?
Working with the guests, volunteers, and staff. Each day is different, and there is always an opportunity to gain new knowledge.
February 2026
DEBBIE COOPER
What did you do for a living in your career life?
I worked for the Department of Defense in Cleveland OH for 31 years. I finished my career as a Personnel Director/Training Director responsible for over 2000 employees nationwide.
What are your special interests/passions?
I love to travel. My husband, Fred, and I have been lucky enough to travel to Australia, New Zealand, the Alpine countries, the Scandinavian countries, Italy, Greece, Iceland and so many locations in the US. My new passion is painting. Maybe you’ll see one of my paintings in the museum!
What is something that would surprise us about you?
I rode down the Grand Canyon on a mule, even though I had never ridden a four- legged animal previously.
What’s your favorite thing about volunteering at the HSMC?
The staff at the museum is the best and just like family. And, it is so wonderful to see visitors, especially first-timers, get so excited about OUR museum. I love telling people about all of our treasures.
January 2026
ERNIE BEAUDOIN
What did you do for a living in your career life?
I spent my career in IT. Some highlights are that I worked for a Partnership of CBS, IBM, and Sears. It was originally called Trintext and its purpose was to create a personal computer accessed system, that acted like the internet does today before there was an internet. When they chose a product name, it also became the name of the company, Prodigy. After that, I spent the next 25 years working for large health insurance companies in the Hartford, CT area.
What are your special interests/passions?
I love volunteering. I have been doing that for many years. From serving on a board for recreational soccer, to serving on a commission for the city. I also enjoy playing the guitar although I don’t find the time to do it often enough.
What is something that would surprise us about you?
As a teen, I was influenced, as well as my friends, by The Beatles and the other bands in the British Invasion of the mid 1960’s. As such, we started a band playing many of those songs. As we grew, we evolved into a soul band, featuring 2 saxophones, trumpet, guitar, organ, drums, bass guitar, and 3 part harmonies. I played the bass.
What’s your favorite thing about volunteering at the HSMC?
I love talking to the people. As much information as I provide, I also get information back from the museum guests. I started here as a docent and now I currently operate the Boomerang, which is pretty much like Homer Simpson using one finger to operate a nuclear plant. Rather than being a technical whiz about the technology involved with the displayed car, I like to tell stories that I’ve gotten from car curators in the museums, research about the car, or information provided by guests about the cars. I try to leave them with a smile on their faces.
Our 2025 VOLUNTEERs
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Our 2024 VOLUNTEERs
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VOLUNTEERs Needed
VOLUNTEERS ARE THE HEART OF THE ELLIOTT AND HOUSE OF REFUGE, ENGAGING OUR VISITORS IN EXCITING AND ENRICHING EXPERIENCES.
The Elliott Museum relies on teams of volunteers to help us run our programs, providing customer service to supporting administrative tasks, working with specific audiences, facilitating art experiences, and more. Prospective volunteers should be passionate about art, history, and/or transportation and enjoy interacting with the public.
What is it to be a Volunteer at the Elliott Museum?
Volunteers go through orientation and training programs and may focus on a particular area of interest.
You may cross-train at the Elliott and House of Refuge Museums or work your hours at one of the facilities.
We need volunteers to:
- Lead tours
- Act as docents
- Assist in the Museum Stores
- Help with exhibits
- Help with special events
- Assist in the Auto Gallery
- Help with a very wide variety of projects.
BECOME THE HEART OF THE ELLIOTT Museum AND HOUSE OF REFUGE
Fill out our Volunteer application.
Email to Victoria McAteer, Operations Manager at VMcAteer@elliottmuseumfl.org
Snail Mail to: Elliott Museum, Attn. Victoria McAteer at 825 NE Ocean Blvd., Stuart, FL 34996.
You may also drop it off at the Front Desk during regular business hours.
Call Victoria McAteer for more information: at 772-225-1961 ext. 103.