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Even Winchester non-residents can be helpers. Take Burlington resident Electra Govoni, who is president of the Winchester Historical Society Board of Directors, and who is looking for volunteers and members.
Fewer than 1% of residents are members of the society, although more donate to it. Membership is $50 and in addition to donors, Govoni is looking for volunteers and board members.
“We need help with our events and docents to give tours of the Sanborn House, or house sitters when folks have functions in the building,” she says.
Govoni is also hoping someone will agree to be membership chair to help increase the number of members.
“We also need someone on the board who’s familiar with marketing and can help us design brochures and make sure our social media accounts get noticed,” she says. “Our treasurer, Erni Ravanis, has agreed to extend for another year, but if anyone in the community is willing to take that on, we’d be grateful.”
Growing up, Govoni says she was always coming to Winchester for medical and dental appointments, and she met her husband Joe when she was 16.
“He lived on Myopia Road and it became like a second home for me,” she says.
Both Joe’s house and Govoni’s were historic homes, hers a 1920s bungalow, and she became fascinated by historic properties. Eventually her friend Hilda Wong-Doo got her involved with the society.
In addition to looking for members and volunteers, Govoni says the Historical Society needs donations to do four big projects — roof balustrades need to be restored and returned to the roof; the decorative columns need restoration too.
“We need to get the house air-conditioned to get more people renting the house for functions,” she says.
And the fourth thing is a garden outside the French doors.
“The plans will require about $2 million dollars,” she adds.
Govoni is self employed as a coach to small businesses who don’t have extensive boards of directors.
“I get them together monthly to discuss whatever problems or questions they have for each other,” she says.
And like many of WN’s “Helpers Among Us” subjects, Govoni volunteers for other groups. She’s immediate past president of the Woburn Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Winchester Cultural District. She’s also involved with Women of Woburn, which supports women business owners.
“I used to be involved with ‘Read to a Child,’ in Waltham where we’d have kids in grades 1 to 4 choose a book and we’d read it to them while they ate lunch,” she says.
When asked why she’s involved in the Historical Society, Govoni points out that “History helps create a sense of shared identification.”
“It gives us a sense of belonging and joy,” she says. “History and its stories can inspire the next generation.”
