Help create history in Warwick
WARWICK — The Warwick Historical Society is looking for volunteers to create a digital tour of the historic places that help tell Warwick stories.
An initial meeting is planned for Sunday, Nov. 5 at 1 p.m. at the AW Buckbee Center, 2 Colonial Ave. in Warwick.
For many residents and visitors, the historic look and character of Warwick is a magnet. Some visitors can not conform to the hours a docent offers walking tours, but will gladly take a smartphone-enabled tour.
The creation of a digital walking tour app available on both Androids and IPhones would allow visitors to learn about the history of Warwick at their convenience.
VolunteersThe society is looking for volunteers to help in a variety of disciplines, such as coding, design, photography, voice-overs and marketing.
No experience is required; workshops will be offered to provide the necessary skills. Volunteer community mentors will be engaged along the way to guide, teach and solve problems as they arise.
The tour will take on a feel of a game with a "prize" given to users who answer a certain number of questions. The app will highlight some of the important historical sites within the town – with narrators, some young, some older, relating the stories or legends pertaining to the site.
Seeking a younger and more diverse audienceThe goal is to have multiple versions of the app geared toward a variety of audiences, such as youth, tourists and a Spanish language audience.
Executive Director Lisa Weisbrod said the society hopes to attract a new, younger and more diverse audience with the creation of this digital app while empowering our local students by including them from the very beginning in the conception and creation of the project.
The project was made possible by a $5,000 grant awarded by Humanities NY, an organization that provides support across the state’s intellectual and cultural sectors through grants, programs, networking and advocacy in order to encourage critical thinking and cultural understanding in the public arena.
• Contact Weisbrod at lisa@whsny.org or by phone 845-986-3236 ext. 106 for more information or to volunteer.